A Blue Christmas
by purpleeyednekoyoukai
Summary: Holiday outtakeish thing. Connected to Wish Upon A Star. Sort of. Read to find out. NOT CONNECTED TO SEQUEL! Just for fun. Oh, and Kira's baaaaaack! Currently on Hiatus.
1. What's going on?

Welcome to the outtake-ish holiday special.

This is going to be more of a "typical" piece for me. Everyone will be running around, getting in each others' business, driving one another nuts, and being snowed in the Granger dojo for anywhere from 2 days to 1 month.

See where this is going?

Oh, by the way...

**Warnings:** cursing (hell yes), an OC, insanity (sugar high Tala, Hilary, Kira and various undisclosed others)...that's all I can think of for now.

You were warned.

Info-ish things:  
"Talking"  
'Thinking'  
/Bitbeast speaking/  
_"Speaking in Russian"_  
Speaking in Chinese  
Scene split: 0x0x0x0  
Beginning/End: -x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-

Chapter One:

**_What's_** going on?

Serene crimson eyes surveyed the white landscape that was mere inches from their owner's face. While his expression was lacking in emotion, it was clear that the Russian was uncomfortable.

But not for reasons one would expect.

It wasn't because Tyson had invited Zeo, Kenny, Daichi, Hilary, Ray, Mariah, Mariam, Max, Tala, Brooklyn, Kira, and himself over for Christmas.

It certainly wasn't because there was mistletoe hanging from the top of every doorway, making it impossible for anyone to walk around the house without splitting up every time they entered a room.

Even the fact that Hilary _was_ coming and _was_ apt to stay by his side wasn't affecting him. Well, right _now_ at least.

"Thinking," came a familiar voice from a close proximity. Shifting his eyes in the direction of the speaker, he found the only other two guests who had arrived yet were standing there, eyes on him.

He gave a slight nod as a reply, causing fiery purple-grey orbs to twinkle, and deep blue ones to hold a masked questioning look.

"Better not have anything to do with-" Kira calmly ducked as she continued her walk towards the door, safely evading the pillow tossed in her direction, "Hilary!" With that, she dashed through the doorway. Just in time too, as a flock of pillows were chucked in her direction; this time with much more force behind them.

"I'd like to see her when Brooklyn comes," Kai muttered rebelliously, causing a certain red headed Russian teen to smirk.

"Don't worry..." Tala's tone caused Kai's gaze to be drawn towards him. "Nothing'll happen: my word on it..." The evil look on Tala's face was slightly disturbing, even for Kai, who had known Tala for a while.

"I don't even want to know," was all he got in return as the other teen swept from the room after Kira.

'You've got that right, Kai,' Tala smirked and slipped off to a side room to work on the to-scale diagram of one of his many plans.

0x0x0x0

Kira did not even look up from her sketch as Kai entered the room.

"Lemme guess...Tala's cooked up some harebrained scheme to torture Brooklyn as well as me," Kira effectively illustrated Tala's plan and presented Kai with the finished sketch.

"Pretty much," the edgy Russian returned along with her sketch. The blonde shook her head and began packing up her drawing supplies.

"What's your damage?" Kira sweatdropped when Kai just gave her the 'blank stare', then laughed. "Sorry, spent a liiittle too much time in America. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Kai mumbled before quickly leaving the room.

'So you say...' Kira mentally retorted before vanishing along with her sketch pad and sketching supplies to the room she knew she would be sharing with Hilary.

0x0x0x0

.:An Hour Later:.

Bored out her mind, Kira had returned to one of the two main areas, careful to avoid Tala, Kai, and Tyson along the way, as well as any boughs of mistletoe.

'This is way too much like mission impossible,' the girl decided and prayed that Hilary would get there soon. Tala, Tyson, and Kai were pretty cool as far as guys went, but she wanted someone who would talk a bit more, but also had a sense of when _not_ to talk. Grumbling in Russian, she sat down on the couch near the front door to await any more arrivals.

Tala had joined her right as shouted came from the hallway nearby. Kenny, who had entered through the back door, had just escaped the fray and sat down near Kira when the yelling escalated.

"-FUCK-"

"Let's hope he doesn't do that in the hallways either," Kira commented blandly in Russian. Tala fell off his chair, shaking. Kenny hesitantly approached to find the Russian was trying _extremely_ hard (and failing) not to laugh.

After a few moments of half-choking, he gave it up and started laughing. Kenny, freaked beyond belief, backed away.

"Is he usually like this?" He squeaked from behind a nearby piece of furniture.

"No...he just had caffeine."

Amused and somewhat disturbed, the two watched the Russian ball of energy bounce around, mumbling incoherent things in his native language. After a few moments, tiring of the spectacle, they pulled out some cards and were in the middle of go fish when Brooklyn and Hilary entered, each carrying a gift for their Secret Santa.

Kira, glancing up, smirked before looking down at her cards. Once she collected the one she needed from Kenny, she placed them down. Chief groaned and flopped down on the table.

"Houston, we have a problem," he moaned dramatically.

"She's beating you," Hilary teased as she and Brooklyn walked towards the doorway.

"No." Kira replied. "Houston, our problem is **_him_**." She gestured without removing her eyes from the cards to the still insanely hyper Tala, who was currently wrapping himself up in pink ribbon.

Both Hilary and Brooklyn just stared at him in a mix of shock, amusement, and horror.

"Yeah, we know: it clashes with his hair!" An irate Tyson shouted from where he was, causing Kira to snicker as Hilary and Brooklyn exchanged disturbed glances.

"Be careful coming in," the card wizard warned. "The mistletoe fairy went a lot overboard."

"HEY! I AM NOT THE MISTLETOE FAIRY!"

"Then how did you know to whom I was referring," Kira shot back. The sullen silence indicated that Kira had won that argument.

"...um...?" Hilary began but Tala-the-pink-ribbon-Christmas-mummy, Kenny and Kira all gestured at the top of the door, where many boughs of mistletoe hung.

"...eh?" Brooklyn looked a little frightened.

"Beware Tyson during the holidays," was the cryptic warning. Exchanging glances, Hilary and Brooklyn entered each room separately before they came upon the room where coats and presents were to be placed. Once making it there and back, they returned in time to see Kira win the game and Tala start making himself into a multi-neon-colored mummy.

All four teens watched as Tala began in his quest to be a colorful Christmas mummy.

"...shouldn't one of us take that off him?" Kenny wondered as he started with a third variation of pink ribbon.

"Nah...it's more fun to wait until he comes off the sugar high and show him pictures of what he did, and watch what colors he turns," Kai commented as he entered the room.

Kenny just stared.

"I'm not even going there," Kira replied. "...although I have been wondering what you did with Tyson..."

"Nothing," Kai responded innocently.

"Ra have mercy," Kira mumbled before diving behind the couch. Hilary, Kenny, and Brooklyn just blinked.

"...do I want to know?"

"...you aren't sugar high?"

"No."

Kira returned to her spot.

"What was that all about?"

As one, Kenny, Brooklyn, Hilary and Kira gestured to Tala-the-pink-Christmas-mummy turned Tala-the-neon-many-pink-shaded-and-others-Christmas-mummy.

"...point taken."

"What. The. Fudge." Daichi chose that moment to walk in the door.

"Don't ask," Hilary replied.

Deciding he didn't want to know, Daichi deposited his present and coat with the others before rescuing Tyson, then rejoining the others.

Kai death glared when he saw Tyson enter the room.

"..." Hilary and Kira exchanged wordless looks before ducking behind the couch and peering out.

"...ano...what are you guys doing?" Brooklyn mumbled.

"Hiding." Kira ducked down.

"From WWIII," Hilary followed suit.

"World War III...?" Brooklyn observed Tyson sitting as far away from Kai as possible, and Kai glaring at him the whole time.

"Okay, Cold War II." Hilary commented from her vantage point.

"Don't get technical on me," Kira groused from her spot.

Rei and Max chose then to walk in with their presents in toe. And stood there, blinking.

Hilary and Kira were hiding behind the sofa, Brooklyn looked on the verge of joining them, Tala-the-multi-shades-of-pink-and-neon-colors-Christmas-mummy continuing his quest to be the best neon colored Christmas mummy he could be, Kai glaring daggers at Tyson, Tyson "eep"-ing and hiding behind Daichi, Daichi shoving him away, and Kenny just observing all this with an attempted calm disposition.

"...okay then," Max mumbled.

"Don't ask," all of them chorused without taking their attention from their previous activities.

"Try not to walk through the doorway together," Brooklyn cautioned and pointed to the mistletoe. Both fled to the coat/present room in opposite directions and returned in them as well.

"Not bad time," Tala-the-multi-shades-of-pink-and-neon-colors-Christmas-mummy commented.

"Okay then...anyone else weirded out?" Brooklyn, Kenny, Max, Rei and Hilary nodded. "Just checkin'."

"Hello?" Mariah entered the doorway while Rei spun around. They ended up almost nose-to-nose. Rei's features reddened as Mariah's cold-caused blush deepened.

"I don't mean to interrupt anything..." Kira's tone indicated that she was going to continue even if she was. "But you may not want to look up."

As one, Rei and Mariah looked up...and their eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets. There, innocently hanging above their heads, was a huge bough of mistletoe.

"Pucker up," Tala-the-multi-shades-of-pink-and-neon-colors-Christmas-mummy cackled. Kai pulled out his digital camera and took a snap-shot for blackmail.

"I want a copy of that," Kira informed him as she vacated her hiding spot to hit Tala's pressure point. "He should be back to normal when he wakes up..." She lay him down on the couch and returned to her spot.

"Why didn't you just do that in the first place," Kenny sweatdropped.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to," was the reply.

Rei and Mariah took this opportunity to kiss and get it over with. However, it ended up being a bit more than just a kiss...

"Could you two quit sucking each others' faces off and get your asses in here?" Kira wondered aloud in a mock-thoughtful tone.

Instantaneously, both separated, crimson, and sat down on opposite ends of the loveseat.

"Oops," Kira muttered as Hilary palmed her forehead.

"Take One," Hilary mumbled.

"Action!" Kira added.

"What are you two whispering about," Mariah snapped, peering down at them.

"Nothing," they replied, adopting Kai's previous excuse and tone.

"...wait. Weren't you just on the loveseat?"

"YOU'RE BEHIND THE LOVESEAT!"

Kira "eep"-ed and hid behind Hilary.

"Note to self: never interrupt Mariah and Rei's "private" moments," Hilary mumbled while Kira nodded reverently.

"What," Mariah hissed, venom evident in her voice.

"Um...TALAAAAAA!" Kira yelled before vaulting over the back of the loveseat and throwing herself at the red head.

'Some wake-up call...' "Spasibo," he replied dryly in Russian as he calmly detached the girl. Tala just stared as Mariah advanced angrily on them. "Loveseat?"

"Loveseat." Kira nodded and they both returned to the "bomb shelter". Hilary, who had snagged three sodas, rejoined them.

"Are you two done?" Rei inquired, leaning over the top.

"Three," they chorused up at him; Tala was still slightly hyper, and not back to his usual self.

"Um...okay then. Are you _three_ done?" They nodded emphatically and crawled out from behind the loveseat. The three took the seats farthest from Mariah and also out of the way of Kai's one-sided glaring match with Tyson.

"So...now what?"

"I say we wait for everyone else before we do something," Rei piped up.

"Sounds good," Tyson commented before hiding behind Daichi.

"Ra help us," Kira murmured as Mariah continued to glare in their direction.

"I think we'll need more than Ra's help," Hilary muttered, causing both to laugh.

"Psst! Rei!" Confused, Rei leaned over. "Can you go kiss Mariah again?"

Said neko-jin became a tomato-faced being and took up residence in the vacated "bomb shelter". Confused, Kira observed him before turning to Hilary and Tala.

"Was it something I said?"

Her answer was both of them bursting into peals of laughter.

'O-kaaaay then...' Sweatdropping, Kira joined Rei. Soon they were chatting quite amiably about strategies, parts and the like. Neither noticed murder in the eyes of the pink haired neko-jin. Only when a dark shadow loomed over them did they realize Mariah had been watching...and that she was pissed. Okay, _beyond_ pissed. Either way, a certain golden eyed neko-jin and a certain fiery purple-grey eyed girl were both in **_serious_** trouble.

-x-x-x-x-

Well, that went...well.

Poor Rei. Poor...anyone who pisses Mariah off...

Ah well.

No notes (For once. Don't get used to it.)

**Pairings:** MariahRei KaiHil MaxMariam Brooklynx?

Forgot to put that up top sheepish look

Immi's note: ooooh. Fun fun. This will be...interesting.

From hyper to serious/menacing. That means this'll be good.

Stay tuned in!

Emma

Ps: um...I lost my disclaimer. I'll post it when I find it (which might take a while)...


	2. Eggnog, Jealousy, and More Arrivals

Ello, poppets!!!

I got both Pirates of the Caribbean movies for Christmas (thus the...yah, you get it.)

Welcome (don't you all get sooo sick of this?) to chapter two!

Beware: the hyperness has not ended...oh, and I might have people get drunk off of eggnog. Who knows? Either way, you all have been warned!

Now, let us return to the torment of Rei and Kira at the hands of one pissed Mariah... :gulps mentally:

Info-ish things:  
"Talking"  
'Thinking'  
/Bitbeast speaking/  
_"Speaking in Russian"_  
**"Speaking in Chinese"**  
Scene split: 0x0x0x0  
Beginning/End: -x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-

Chapter Two:  
Eggnog, Jealousy, and More Arrivals

Both gulped and darted behind the sofa. They were soon joined by Brooklyn, Hilary and Tala; the two latters now sugar high and babbling. (1)

Kira stared at them both, left eye twitching, as Rei and Brooklyn just stared.

_"I am so glad they didn't give us sugar at **The Abbey**," _Kira groused in Russian. Tala sobered up immediately.

"Tala?" Hilary queried at his sudden stiffening.

_"You are..."_ Tala trailed off, unable to think of a proper insult.

_"The word you're looking for is "killjoy". Anyway, you, to put it quite frankly, are scary when you're hyper. Now, if you don't mind, or even if you do, I'm gonna go hide the eggnog,"_ Kira retorted and rushed towards the kitchen with Tala on her heels, but not close enough to be caught by the mistletoe.

**"Hey Mariah," **Rei gave her a smile as he sat down next to her on the couch; she merely huffed and turned away. **"What?"**

**"Why don't you go talk to _Kira_," **Mariah hissed before storming off to the kitchen. (2)

0x0x0x0

"What's going on, you think," Hilary inquired of Brooklyn.

"I don't know," the red-head replied, bristling mentally at the fact that Kira was a lot more comfortable around Tala, and even _Kai_ than him. (3)

"...uh-oh." Brooklyn glanced up, startled.

"What?"

Kai was peeved. And he was glaring at Brooklyn.

"Now what," Hilary groaned, falling to the side dramatically.

0x0x0x0

Mariah stormed into the kitchen to find Kira and Tala in the middle of a wrestling match for the eggnog.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING?!" She shouted. Both froze, and looked up at her, blinking. Then Kira recovered.

"If you think Tala's bad sugar high, you don't even want to see him drunk," Kira quipped and seized the opportunity to snatch the eggnog away from Tala.

_"Damn you!"_ Tala shouted and lunged at her.

_"I think not,"_ was all he got in way of reply as Kira sidestepped and hit his pressure point again before sighing. "You'd think he'd remember how many times I've done that before..." Shaking her head, she stashed the eggnog away before depositing Tala in one of the bedrooms...conveniently managing to avoid the mistletoe. (4)

Then, when she returned to the kitchen, she finally noticed that Mariah was glaring at her.

"What now," the girl grumbled, thinking, 'if this was Tala's plan, it's working well. I haven't gotten to even _see_ Brooklyn for more than a few moments!'

"Getting cozy with Rei?" The pinkette sniped.

Kira was only able to gape at her, dumbfounded, for several long moments.

"What planet are you **_from?!_**" The blonde growled at last. Taken slightly aback, Mariah froze for a moment.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Okay, allow me to rephrase that. How _blind_ are you? Rei's head over heels for you and I..." Realizing she was just about to shout who she had a slight attraction for at the top of her lungs, she stopped and flushed faintly. "...like someone else."

"Oh really?" The golden-eyed girl scoffed.

"If I did like Rei, why would I ask him to kiss you again?"

Mariah stood there, opening and closing her mouth like a fish.

"Why else do you think he hid behind the loveseat in the first place? He was embarrassed...my comment, now that I think about it, was pretty callous..." Kira sweatdropped, wondering what Kai would do if she told him to kiss Hilary.

"What's so funny," demanded the off-balance neko-jin girl.

"Just picturing what Kai would do if I asked him to kiss Hilary..." She replied unthinkingly. It was only when Mariah started giggling did she realize she had actually spoken. "Oops..." Another sweatdrop appeared on the back of her head. "I'm scoring points on all sides now, aren't I?"

"Well, you definitely just scored a point on my side!" Mariah informed her, still giggling a bit.

"If you say so...now, how 'bout we go back to the main room, and try to prevent any more potential disasters?"

"On one condition."

'I hate that phrase, I hate that phrase, I hate that phrase, I royally freaking hate that phrase,' Kira groaned mentally, but her traitor and sensible mouth replied, "and that would be?"

"You have to kiss the person you like by the end of our stay here," Mariah smugly grinned as the blonde's face paled considerably.

"Can I just go jump off the nearest cliff?" Kira wanted to know.

"How is that gonna prove you don't like Rei?"

"Hm...well, it doesn't exactly, but I'd be dead, so what would it matter then?"

"Ha! So you **do** like Rei!"

"No. I like someone else, but I'd rather not risk my-" She broke off, remembering her brother's (5) request that their relation remain undisclosed.

"Your...?" Mariah looked excited now.

"I can't say. I was requested not to." Kira inwardly groaned.

"Boyfriend?"

"No. I don't have one."

"Me either..." Mariah sighed.

"And what's Rei? Chopped liver?"

"Hey, chopped liver is good!" Mariah defended. "...okay, well, I think it's good!"

"Your opinion," Kira held her hands up in surrender.

"So, you _really_ don't like Rei?"

"Dead serious."(6)

"Well, I guess all I have for competition now is Salima..."

"Isn't she with Kane?"

"I wish," Mariah grumped as Hilary walked in.

"No, you don't," she muttered as she snagged a water bottle and slipped back out.(7)

"What's with her," Kira slid her head to the side to follow the brunette's progress down the hall.

"No idea..." Mariah mumbled. "I don't think I want to know, though..."

"Truce?" Kira crossed her fingers, mentally praying she would agree. 'Things are complicated enough as is...'

"Truce. But only if-"

"I kiss the person I like before our stay here is over. Got 'cha," the girl grumbled flatly. A few moments passed in silence.

"...would you really rather jump off a cliff?" Mariah wanted to know.

Kira deadpanned before informing her, "indubitably."

"What does that mean?"

"...no idea. But it sounds cool!" Mariah glared at her flatly. "Okay, it means definitely."

"Why didn't you just say that?"

Kira shrugged, "confusing people is more fun." Mariah glared at her for a moment more before sighing and deflating. It just wasn't worth it.

Then there were shouts from the living room. Both girls traded glances before looking towards the living room.

"What _now_?" Mariah mumbled.

"To quote you, "I don't think I want to know"," Kira replied. Even so, she followed the pinkette back to the living room, while dodging mistletoe. "Next time we have a Christmas party, allow me to kill myself before we let Tyson decorate..."

"I'll help and join you," Mariah groused as she led the way.

0x0x0x0

"What's he doing here?!" Rei shouted, glaring furiously at Zeo. Max was standing beside him, a similar expression on his face.

"I invited him," Tyson shrugged. "Why shouldn't he be here?"

"He almost took all of our bitbeasts, Tyson! He might not have gotten Dragoon, but he got the rest of ours!" Max told his friend with an edge in his normally calm voice.

Hilary blinked. She had almost forgotten all about that.

"Who's he," Brooklyn inquired.

"Oh, his name's Zeo. When we were all fourteen his bitbeast absorbed everyone's except Tyson's. I didn't know there were still some hard feelings, though..." Hilary frowned.

"Who's that guy," Kira muttered as she and Mariah reentered the room amidst the tense silence.

"His name's Zeo," Tyson offered.

"Um...nice to meet you?" Kira returned, noticing the glares he was receiving from Kai, Max, and Rei.

"Likewise," Zeo murmured. "What's your name?"

"Kira."

_"Don't waste your time talking to freaks, Kira."_ Kai ground out as calmly as he could.

_"I will talk with whomsoever I please,"_ Kira returned and glared at him.

_"Really?"_ Kai growled back, raising an eyebrow.

_"I don't need a baby-sitter, Kai,"_ was her annoyed retort. _"I'm quite capable of looking after myself, thanks."_ With that, she calmly stormed out of the room, opened the front door, exited through it and slammed it behind her. Fuming, she sat on the porch, mumbling obscenities in Russian.

0x0x0x0

Tala, who was in the spare room nearby, winced mentally as he sat up.

'Damn.' He groused. 'She didn't have to hit me _that_ hard.' Hearing the shouting, he could only vaguely guess at what was going on. Sighing mentally, he stood and made his way to the main area.

'I know those two were infamous for their arguments, but this is ridiculous,' Tala growled mentally as his sugar hangover kicked in. (8)

0x0x0x0

"What was that all about," Brooklyn inquired in his most civil voice as he stood.

"None of your business, Kingston," Kai returned and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes, figuring that would be enough to deem the conversation over.

Brooklyn shot him an annoyed look, but returned to his spot next to Hilary. The two began a long conversation about previous beybattles.(9)

0x0x0x0

Mariam stormed up the front walk to the entrance of the Granger dojo, mentally cursing the cold all the way. She was freezing!

'If I had the sense to go with Josef and Ozuma to Miami, I wouldn't be freezing,' she griped mentally. 'But then again, at least Dunga's not here...'

Pushing the thought of Max aside (and the fact that her face had warmed up slightly at the thought of him) she was careful to avoid stomping on any icy patches. Had she not been doing so, she might have fallen and froze to death, as no one was going outside anytime soon.(10)

The cold and the thought of skipping out on Miami for a stupid party making her temper flare and bloom, Mariam hit the door quite savagely and nearly struck Max on the nose when he answered it.

"H-hi," he mumbled as a way of greeting.

"Hi," she growled. "Now move." The blonde, feeling very trodden on, did so. Sighing inaudibly, he let her pass before closing the front door.

'She still likes me about as much as ever,' he reflected pessimistically.

'DAMMIT!' And a few other choice curse words were flying around inside Mariam's mind because of her shortness with the blonde blader.

/Having fun, mistress/ Sharkrash inquired, just to be a pain.

'Shut up, you...you...sushi!'

/I am so very offended/ Sharkrash replied dryly but left nonetheless.

0x0x0x0

Kenny decided that the party was already a disaster. As soon as Tala had become a Christmas mummy (when had he taken all the ribbon off, anyway? Kenny saw no sign of it anywhere and it would be hard to hide THAT much ribbon.) he knew this party was over. Looking around now just confirmed it.

Kai, Rei, and Max were huddled in one corner. Rei and Max were no doubt in the middle of a heated discussion of how much they loathed Zeo, with an occasional comment from Kai thrown into the mix.

Tyson and Daichi were currently arguing over who could eat the most ANYTHING in thirty seconds, and both were insisting that they could do it better than the other. It would turn into a screaming match soon; Kenny was sure of that.

Brooklyn and Hilary were peacefully discussing beybattles, but from the way Kai was glancing at them from time to time, he knew that little bit of sanity would not last long. Not if a certain dual haired Russian blader had anything to say about it.

Tala was, surprisingly, sitting off to the side, observing what was going on, just like Kenny. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments, and Tala gave him a small nod before returning to observing everyone else. Although he was sure the Russian wouldn't see him, Kenny nodded back.

Zeo was another person sitting alone. He sat the farthest away from Kai, Max, and Rei as well as anyone else. Looking miserable, determined to hide it and failing miserably, Kenny felt sorry for the younger boy. Sure, he had done some bad things, but hadn't Kai and Brooklyn? He didn't see _them_ getting ostracized for it (not that he _wanted_ them to; he was just mentally making a point).

Then, even more surprisingly than Tala sitting off to the side, were Mariah and Mariam. They were sitting together, but Kenny wasn't close enough to catch what they were talking about, but judging by the disapproving looks the two were awarding the trio who were opposite the room, he could guess what it was. He hoped the two of them would get up and at least try to put a stop to it. Knowing his chances, he decided he would bypass the trio and just strike up a conversation with Zeo.

Sighing mentally, Kenny stood, walked over to where Zeo was and sat next to him. Soon the two were happily debating about which attack rings worked better as opposed to type and brand. Both pointedly ignored the looks they were receiving from 3/5s of the BBA Revolutions, and continued their conversation.

They were soon joined by Mariah and Mariam, though not before both went and told the trio across the room off. By the time they were done, Tyson and Daichi were snickering. Hilary and Brooklyn had joined the group of four, and soon they had split into a few smaller groups, depending on their interests.

Mariah, Mariam (who had no idea how she had gotten roped into _this_ particular conversation), and Hilary were soon talking about how to correlate the color of their blade, the color of their clothes, and the color of their accessories so they matched.

Brooklyn and Zeo were discussing what had happened/what they had caused to happen and how people had treated them afterwards while Kenny listened with half an ear.

Meanwhile Max, Rei, and Kai were seething and plotting some revenge on a certain aqua haired blader. Said trio went to Tala, who was watching something through the window. He muttered something vague in Russian once disturbed, so the three went back to their corner to plot by themselves.

Tyson and Daichi, oblivious to the mini revolution taking place, were currently in the middle of the shouting portion of their debate about who could eat the most of ANYTHING in thirty seconds.

-x-x-x-x-

(1)- twice in one night...good grief! (Told ya not to get used to no notes!)

(2)- and the lack of luck strikes yet again...

(3)- it's 10 PM on Christmas, I had a total of 11 hrs of sleep in the past two days and I felt like crap for most of said two days. Don't pick on my wording!

(4)- I have many more interesting things planned than having Tala and Kira end up kissing (:insert evil laugh here:)

(5)- you don't remember who? Go re-read Wish Upon A Star:cackles:

(6)- XD Pardon the pun!

(7)-remember how Wish Upon A Star started?

(8)-You've had sugar, been insanely hyper, and then exhaustion hits you between the eyes like a hammer? _That's_ what I'm talking about.

(9)-Hilary was describing Kai, Rei, Tyson and Max's battles. Then she described the two battles she's fought with Black Dranzer as her bitbeast.

(10)-Kira doesn't count. She's busy with something else, anyway.

Other notes:

I ::officially:: hate the word "thirty". Every time I typed it, I had to re-type is about three. CURSE YOU, YOU STUPID NUMBER!!!

Ahem...anyway.

The next chapter shall be out ASAP.

Then...the sequel!  
Emma


	3. Snow Frolicking, Fights and More Mistlet

Enjoy the chapter!

Info-ish things:  
"Talking"  
'Thinking'  
/Bitbeast speaking/  
_"Speaking in Russian"_  
**"Speaking in Chinese"**  
Scene split: 0x0x0x0  
Beginning/End: -x-x-x-x-

WARNING: Looketh at chapter title. You shalt be warned by that. Thou...blah blah blah. (Shakespeare mood, so sue me...wait, no don't!) 

One last thing:

I was kinda annoyed that Kira was in practically every scene and was **constantly** talking, so I cut her out of the last scene. And Mariam didn't notice her because she was so peeved about the weather and not going to Miami when she had the chance.

...and I just realized I put "is" instead of "it"...::dies::

(Okay, NOW I'm done.)

Kira's turn to go first!

(...eh, or not ::sweatdrop::)

x-x-x-x

Chapter Three:  
Snow Frolicking, Fights and More Mistletoe Problems

Kira sat there, mumbling obscenities. She didn't know for how long that had been when an irate girl with blue hair stormed up the steps and right past her like she didn't even exist.

'Lovely...back to ghost status, I presume,' the girl griped mentally as she scowled at the closing door. Sighing mentally, she stood and walked out into the middle of the yard. Something wet landing on her nose made her look up.

More snowflakes were falling from the sky to land on the ground with the snow that had fallen the day before. Said girl decided she was mad at the world before angrily kicking a small snowdrift nearby. Doing so only irritated her more because now her pant leg was wet up to her knee.

Scowling heavily, she fell back into the snowdrift on purpose.

'Might as well have some fun,' she reflected, brushing off the fact that someone was watching her frolic in the snow. 'What I really need is some people to have a snowball fight with...tomorrow perhaps? Hm...' Kira zoned out as she made some plans for the next day.

Zoned out, she darted around in the snow, pretending to be a secret agent, and hurling snowballs at random things. Normally, she was calm, (although not entirely collected) and was sort of sarcastic but even she liked to have some fun.

'As fun as "plotting" is, I need to go in before I freeze,' the girl reminded herself, standing and brushing off as much snow as possible. Despite that, the girl was soaked.

While playing in the snow had robbed her of her bad temperament, she could easily affect one. Hoping Tala wouldn't call her on it, she readied herself. As she approached, she gazed in through the window. Everyone was sitting in there; while it did not look like they were coexisting peacefully, they all were enjoying themselves to say the least. 'If I could find someone to relate to like that...' Sighing softly and wistfully, the girl shoved the emotion away.

Looking every bit as angry as she had when she stormed out, she stormed back in, right through the group of people in the room, and all heard a door slam in the distance. Then the door creaked open as the stomping came closer again. A present was hurled at Brooklyn's head and the stomping continued back to the room and was silenced by the slamming of the far away door.(1)

She slipped inside her room, giggling mentally. Although she had just proved she more than knew how to act, Tala informed her with a quick glance that he could tell she was faking it.

'Oh well...as long as he doesn't tell anyone, I don't care,' she decided as she pulled the blanket off the bed and curled up in the corner of the room, cocooned in the blanket on the floor. Forgetting to change out of her sodden clothes, she dozed off with the best of intentions.

0x0x0x0

Brooklyn caught the present and stared at it quizzically for a moment.

"It's yours, idiot. Open it," Tala growled at last.

Nodding to show he heard, Brooklyn tore the wrapping paper from its box and placed it on the floor beside him. Opening the box, inside he found a brand-new attack ring that hadn't even been released to stores yet, and was custom made. Next he found a note.

_Maybe with a little help from this you can beat Kai..._

::winks::

Good luck, and happy holidays,  
Kira

He quickly crumpled up the note before grinning and stuffing it in his pocket.

'I've got to remember to burn that before Kai gets his hands on it,' he told himself as he smothered another grin. He looked around for Tala, and found the redhead smirking at him as he, too, left for bed. Shaking his head, Brooklyn headed to the coat room to find his blade and attach the new ring.

0x0x0x0

Kai scowled at Kira's retreating form.

'Not only does she like someone who nearly killed me, but now she's encouraging him to have a rematch with me...' The Russian seethed mentally.

0x0x0x0

"Hey!" Tyson shouted. Everyone paused in their activities. "Why don't we exchange presents now?"

There was a flurry of activity as all of them rose and, through separate routes, reached the coat room, and snagged their presents.

However, there _were_ some problems on the way back...

0x0x0x0

Max, thinking he would be the first back, ran down the back hallway...only to run straight into someone. Both tumbled to the floor with a thump and landed in a doorway. Said blonde turned beet red when he realized the compromising position he was. Looking up, he saw wide green eyes. He then turned an even deeper shade of red...

...he was straddling Mariam, on the floor, underneath the mistletoe.(2)

'Oh the joys of Christmas,' he growled mentally.

0x0x0x0

Grumbling, Kai grabbed his gift, and stalked back towards the room. Unfortunately, Hilary was **_very_** pissed and followed him.

"KAI HIWATARI!" 

Seething, she _dared_ shout at him!, he spun to come face to face with Hilary.

The two hadn't spoken since they had come back from America. She had taken up residence there, as she had never reconciled with her mom either, but she absolutely refused to so much as look at him. He had done nothing wrong!(3)

"What the hell is your problem," he growled.

"You! You're my problem! You've screwed up, and you don't see the rest of us picking on you for it! Do you see me rubbing the fact that you _willingly_ went to Boris!? **_Well_**?"(4)

Kai's eyes widened. He was beyond unprepared for the sudden rush of emotion that overtook him. Trying to affect an uncaring disposition, he glanced at Hilary; he saw her jaw muscles clench, could almost see the anger radiating off her.

"Gomen nasai," Kai whispered so low he could barely hear himself. Hilary gaped at him in total shock.

"W-what," she choked out.

"Gomen nasai," he repeated softly as he turned and began to walk away. Before he had even stepped away, he felt he hand on his shoulder. It hurt that it was hesitant. "Hai?" Kai's voice was now emotionless. Hilary released his shoulder; he mentally kicked himself. Looking up, he was startled to find her right in front of him.

"Apology accepted," she told him. Long moments passed, both of them just staring into one another's eyes. "Are you okay?" Noting that his eyes widened a bit, she realized she must have taken him off guard. 'How?' She wondered, baffled.

"Fine," he murmured, lowering his gaze to the floor. Then he looked up, his fiery purple-grey eyes locking on hers. "No. I'm not."

"Want to talk about it?" Hilary's ruby-colored eyes continued being locked on Kai's own orbs. He shook his head no; he was weak enough already.

"Just because you show emotions doesn't make you weak," Hilary murmured before standing on tiptoe to give him a gentle kiss on the cheek. He froze as she blushed and walked towards the main area. Before she left the room, she turned once more. "Mistletoe." She informed him, giving him a _very_ familiar smirk. Giving him a teasing wave, she left the room.

'Damn,' Kai thought as he stared at where she had last been.(5)

0x0x0x0

Rei, who had seen the little...ahem...interaction, was heading down yet another hallway(6) when he spotted Mariah standing in a doorway.

"Mariah?" He blinked, having could have sworn there was a predatory gleam in her eyes. She merely watched him approach. Rei, a little weirded out, stood in front of her. "What are you--mmph!" The next thing he knew, Mariah had grabbed a handful of the front of his shirt and pulled him down closer to her height so she could crash her lips on his.(7)

Rei was completely taken off guard, but he quickly responded to the kiss. After both could breathe no longer, they separated.

"That was for being interrupted earlier," she informed him and continued on her way back.

Rei stood where she left him.

'I sincerely hope we get interrupted more often,' was all his dazed mind could come up with at that time as he mutely followed behind her.

0x0x0x0

From his vantage point, he smirked. Now everyone who was or should be a couple had kissed...with the exception of Max and Mariam, both of whom were still frozen in their awkward position.

'Should I get to work on Brooklyn and Kira?' Tala wondered as he silently slipped back to his room. 'Nah...death by angry Kai isn't the way I was planning to go...those two will get together on their own, or not at all...unless Brooklyn still likes Hilary...then _he'd_ be the one Kai'd be trying to kill...hm...now things are getting interesting, at least...'

The redheaded Russian flopped down on his bed and stared at the ceiling for a few moments.

'Either way, Kai will be pissed,' Tala concluded before rolling over to try to catch some shut eye. From the noise he knew would emanate from the main area, he knew it would be near impossible, but he liked trying things that were near impossible. It gave him all the more satisfaction when he accomplished them.

0x0x0x0

Kai, Hilary, Tyson, Daichi, Zeo, Kenny, Brooklyn, Rei, and Mariah were patiently (or in some cases not-so-patiently) waiting for Max and Mariam to return from the depths of the dojo.

Zeo and Brooklyn were discussing the same thing from earlier, with Kenny still listening in with half an ear.

Kai was standing, leaning against the wall, near Hilary, who was reading a book. She had the sneaking suspicion he was reading it over her shoulder, but she decided not to mention it.

Rei was making eyes at Mariah across the room; the pinkette was giggling, and making faces back.

Tyson and Daichi were watching Rei, Mariah, Kai and Hilary with their left eyes twitching. Both were thinking the same thing simultaneously.

'What the hell is going on!?'

.:An Hour of THIS Later...:.

"CAN WE HAND OUT PRESENTS NOW?!" Tyson shouted; he could take no more. Everyone looked up from their activities, blinking.

"We were waiting for you to ask," Hilary commented, closing the book with a snap before fishing out her present from the depths of the couch. (8)

"Before we do, shouldn't someone go find Max and Mariam?" Mariah wondered aloud as she fished her present out of God-knows-where.(9)

Tala, who had given up all hope of sleep and decided to join the ruckus, wandered in.

"No, you really don't want to find them," he growled sourly.

"Why not," Hilary turned her attention to the redhead as all the others did.

He shot them all annoyed looks and maintained a stony silence.

Shrugging, Hilary stood and went to find them. She saw them, and turned right back around. Re-entering the main area, she sank down into her chair, and buried her face into her hands.

"At least Ozuma isn't here," she mumbled to her wrists.

"Ozuma?" Tala lifted a coppery brow.

"...don't ask."

"Already did."

"Shut it, Ivanov," Kai growled.

"Make me, Hiwatari."

"And you can just smell the testosterone," a disheveled Kira hissed from the doorway. _"Could you idiots be any louder?!"_ Both just stared at her, before glancing at one another, then back at her. _"Now, what have we learned?"_****

_"Let Kira get her sleep,"_both mumbled and crossed their arms before looking in opposite directions, clearly still annoyed.

_"Spasibo,"_ was the flat retort as the disheveled blonde returned to her room, this time toting a water bottle.

"...what was that all about," Rei asked the nearby air molecules.

"None of your business," both Russians growled in unison before glaring at one another.

"Oy," Hilary groaned, leaning back into the seat dramatically.

"Oy indeed," Mariah seconded.

"...can we just open presents?" Daichi wanted to know.

"NO!" Tala, Kai, Hilary, and Mariah shouted.

.:5 Minutes Later:.

"Now can we open presents?"

"No, Daichi," Rei replied calmly before anyone could start shouting again. Tala glared at him, which caused Mariah to start glaring at Tala.

"...This is a mess," Kenny groaned.

"That's one way of putting it," Zeo mumbled as Brooklyn nodded, his mind still mostly focused on the note from his present.

0x0x0x0

Max and Mariam, both cherry red, were frozen in their awkward (and um...yeah.) position.

After Hilary had seen them, both had managed to move, but they knew they wouldn't be able to look at one another for weeks.

"Gomen nasai," Max barely managed to choke out.

"...whatever," Mariam replied, still too shaken and embarrassed to think sensibly. Max nodded.

Both just sat there in their own little worlds, both wondering how much the other hated them.

Then they realized they still had to kiss.

-x-x-x-x-

(1)-Ironically, Brooklyn was her Secret Santa. ::laughs:: I sincerely enjoyed that...

(2)-OMFG::dies of laughter:: I had way too much fun writing that scene::dies of laughter again::

(3)-somebody smack him. Please. I don't care who. He's such a pig-headed idiot::grrr::

(4)-okay...so that was below the belt...::sweatdrop::

(5)-entirely too much fun writing that scene too...YOU GO HIL! XD

(6)-HOW MANY FRIGGIN' HALLWAYS ARE THERE!?!?!?! XP

(7)-ummm...wow. o.O

(8)-don't ask how it got there. Even I don't know...o.O

(9)-Mind. Out. Of. The. Gutter.

Other Notes:

That enough KaiHil for ya, Angelic Kitsune::grins:: P

I finished this at 11:40-something PM, I'm dead if I'm caught (er...grounded, but it's about the same as far as I go), and I'm tired. Sorry, for the shortness, but under the circumstances, it can't be helped.

Sorry again.  
Emma

PS: if I have any sudden ideas come to me, I will write and post another chapter, but, currently, I'm fresh out of ideas and holiday spirit.


	4. Presents and an Unexpected Guest

Info-ish things:  
"Talking"  
'Thinking'  
/Bitbeast speaking/  
_"Speaking in Russian"_  
**"Speaking in Chinese"**  
Scene split: 0x0x0x0  
Beginning/End: -x-x-x-x-

Today we start off wiiiiith...

MAX AND MARIAM!

-x-x-x-x-

Chapter Four

Presents, and an Unexpected Guest

"Should...should we..."

"Um...uh...I..."

Both looked anywhere but each other.

"I think we should just kiss!" Both burst out, beet red. Startled, they looked at each other, noting that the other was blushing just as bad as they were, if not more.

For a few more moments, they both made shows of studying the objects in the room. Max was internally panicking, while Mariam bit her lip, visibly nervous. Then, at the same time, both turn to face the other.

Tentatively, both slowly leaned towards the other: closer...closer...and closer still. Their lips met, and fireworks could have exploded right over their heads for all they would have noticed.

After they both realized they were leaning into the kiss, they immediately jumped apart like startled rabbits. Cherry red, both stood and returned to the main room, unable to look at one another.

Both were thinking, 'wow.'

0x0x0x0

"About time you got here!" Tyson shouted, nearly pouncing on Max as he entered the room with Mariam behind him.

"Shut up, Tyson," Mariam growled, shoving him off Max. Hilary started giggling, and Mariah soon joined her. The boys were all non-plussed. Mariam growled some choice words under her breath, and sat down by the other two girls, blushing faintly. Max, who had apparently forgotten Zeo for the moment, sat down next to her, also flushing faintly.

"So..." Hilary began as she leaned closer to the two. "How was your kiss?" She whispered so only they and Mariah could hear. Both turned cherry red and looked in opposite directions. 'Sheesh...'

"Ano...nani?" Mariah asked, leaning closer so as not to be overheard.

"Can we PLEASE JUST EXCHANGE PRESENTS?!" Tyson shouted.

"DAMERU!" Came the annoyed shout from the room Kira was lodged in.

"WELL, SOOOOORRY!"

"Shut up, Tyson," Kai growled.

"Make me!" He ground out back.

"Guys!" Rei got in between them before it came to blows, which, judging by how they stood, would have come in another few seconds.

"Out of the way, Kon," Kai snarled: he had HAD it.

_"Calm down,"_ Tala told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Giving Tala a look that could peel paint, Kai resumed standing behind Hilary, leaning against the wall. Tyson shot him a filthy look before returning to his spot next to Daichi, fuming.

Brooklyn shuddered slightly. This atmosphere was very unsettling for him.

0x0x0x0

Groaning mentally, Kira stood, still cocooned in her blanket. Growling profanities, she headed towards the main room, vowing if she didn't get enough sleep tonight, tomorrow heads _**would**_ roll.

0x0x0x0

Everyone's eyes were glued to the doorway when a disheveled Kira wrapped in a blanket appeared in it.

"Since sleep isn't allowed until presents are distributed to everyone, I'll have to join all of you as well..." Kira grumbled, plopping herself down in between Brooklyn and Tala on the couch. Tala said nothing, but stole some of her blanket. He was cold. Sighing mentally, Kira shifted so he could come under the blanket as well. Both scowled at everyone who was watching with wide eyes.

"Get on with it, already!" Tala and Kira both growled.

"Okay, okay," Tyson said, raising his hands in surrender. 'Sheesh.' He then handed Daichi's present to him. Daichi handed his present to Tyson. Both tore them open to reveal...matching attack rings.

"Thanks," both grumbled to one another.

0x0x0x0

Kai handed Hilary her present, looking very intently at the wall so no one could see his very faint blush. Tala and Kira exchanged looks, then shook their heads.

"Kai," both mumbled the name like it was some sort of annoyance.

_"I heard that,"_ he informed them.

_"Yeah, and?"_ Kira wanted to know.

_"What're you gonna do about it?"_ Tala wanted to know.

_"You're the one being an idiot. She doesn't care whether you show emotion or not, and we certainly don't. Boris is GONE, Kai."_

_"She's right,"_ Tala agreed.

_"...I know, alright?!"_ Kai grumbled.

_"Alright,"_ they replied, while thinking, 'for now.'

Hilary blushed faintly before mumbling, "domo arigato."

"Open it," the dual haired blader commanded, looking very intently at the wall again. Kira and Tala sweatdropped.

Brooklyn blinked, wondering when he would get the chance to give Kira his present.

/Preferably not when Kai's around,/ Zeus, Immi, and Wolborg told him in unison.

/I second that motion/ Dranzer mumbled.

/Stupid Kai/ The four grumbled; Brooklyn just kinda nodded, a little weirded out.

0x0x0x0

A florescent Max handed Mariam a box wrapped in green paper that was almost the same exact shade as her eyes. Flushing faintly herself, Mariam handed Max a box as well. Both tore their box open, and gaped at what was inside. Mariam had gotten him a necklace with a silver chain. That's not what had surprised him.

It was what was on the necklace that surprised him. A replica of Draciel, done down to the minutest detail, was what met his eyes. Stunned, he stared at it.

Mariam had just opened hers, and she almost laughed. It was Sharkrash, done to the minutest detail, on a silver chain. She lost the battle to appear serious, and giggled a bit. Max looked down, thinking she was laughing at his present.

"We think a lot alike, don't we," she grinned at him. Startled, he looked up into smiling green eyes. A flush instantaneously bloomed across his face and this time he looked down out of embarrassment. "Cheer up, Maxie." Once she realized what she said, she flushed horribly as well, and looked away.

Max's eyes widened. She had just called him Maxie!

0x0x0x0

"Here," Rei murmured softly, handing Mariah his gift to her. Blinking, she had thought Kenny was her Secret Santa, she accepted it.

"Arigato, Rei-chan," she grinned, then ducked her head, blushing. Her blush, however, was nothing compared to his. He now resembled a cherry tomato, but on a larger scale. "Here's yours," she handed him a present as well.

0x0x0x0

Kenny and Zeo watched as the couples and two friends around them exchanged gifts with one another.

"They're a little slow, huh," Kenny mumbled, looking at the three couples who were flushing and exchanging gifts.

"Yeah," Zeo agreed, grinning just a little bit.

"Who's your Secret Santa," Kenny asked after a few moments' peaceful silence between the two.

"You," Zeo replied.

"And you're my Secret Santa...weird," Kenny muttered.

"Almost like we're being given a hint," Zeo agreed. Both looked at each other for a moment, then looked away.

'Naaaah,' both thought, shaking their heads to chase their weird thoughts away.

0x0x0x0

Kira glanced sideways at Tala for the briefest of seconds, and was startled to see the tiniest of flashes of sadness in his purple orbs. Deciding she would bring it to Kai's attention if he didn't bring it up himself, she put it out of her mind for the time being.

Kai was currently watching Hilary intently, and both Tala and Kira noted she was getting nervous.

_"Quit scrutinizing her,"_ Tala grumbled after a few moments annoyance; Kai almost jumped. The two started bickering in Russian a moment later.

"Please open it," Kira whispered to Hilary. "He's going to drive us all nuts until you do."

"But I have to give him his present," Hilary mumbled.

"Then for the sake of everyone's sanity, please do," Kira grumbled, mock falling off the couch in exasperation.

"Are you okay?" Both Brooklyn and Hilary asked in unison. Their reply was Kira thwacking her head against the floor. (1) "I'll take that as a yes." Both sweatdropped; Hilary chose Kai's preoccupation to slip her gift to him into his hands.

"Now I can open it," she told the frazzled Kira.

"Thank Kami-sama!" The girl replied, throwing her hands up in exasperation. Hilary just giggled while Tala and Kai stared at them like they were nuts. Brooklyn sweatdropped.

'I don't wanna know,' he decided.

/You really don't/ Five voices chorused.

Tala, Kai, Hilary and Kira blinked.

"Hey BD." Kira greeted.

/Hello to you too/ The phoenix replied solemnly.

/And I don't get a hello?!/ Dranzer demanded, outraged.

/Nope,/ Immi, Zeus, Wolborg and Black Dranzer chorused in unison.

"Okay, so are you guys gonna open your presents?" Brooklyn asked after all of them had sat and listened to the bickering of their bitbeasts.

"..."(2)

"Sure," Hilary grinned.

0x0x0x0

"So..." Mariah blushed a bit, but went on. "Are you gonna open it?"

"I'd rather you open yours first..." Rei mumbled.

"O-okay," Mariah mumbled, blushing a bit more as she tore the paper from its package. It revealed a half of a Yin-Yang symbol painted on gold plating attached to a gold chain. Mariah grinned. "Open yours." Blinking, Rei did so.

His was the yin part of the Yin-Yang symbol, painted on gold plating and attached to a gold chain.

"Great minds think alike, huh?" Mariah smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah," Rei agreed, grinning back at her. Both just kind of stared at one another as their faces slowly grew closer together. When their lips gently brushed, both pulled back, flushing slightly, but happy.

"This Christmas is gonna be the best ever..." Rei surmised.

"Pretty much," Mariah agreed.

0x0x0x0

All of them jumped as what sounded like a huge chunk of ice smashing against the door resonated through the dojo. Tala, blade out and ready to launch, headed towards the door. Kira, after a moments' hesitation, dropped the blanket and followed. Kai stood around the corner from the doorway inside the room, his blade also at the ready.

Those back into room heard a loud thump, as well as a shriek and a yell before all was silent. Kai was about ready to fly down the hallway when a voice was heard.

"Bryan, as much as I like you, I **don't** like you on top of me," came Kira's wry drawl. "Although I'm not too sure I can say the same for Tala..." A few moments later, a scowling duo of Russians and a wickedly grinning one rounded the corner into view.

"Hi Bryan," Tyson mumbled sullenly; Daichi echoed him as everyone else stared.

"What? His plane probably got grounded 'cuz of the snowfall," Kira shrugged it off. A shuffling and murmurs of "oh" could be heard.

"Hey," Rei greeted in a slightly strained manner, resisting the urge to cringe or hide behind Mariah. Barely. All the others shrugged it off, called greetings, and returned to what they were doing. Once the three had taken seats, Kira and Kai traded glances before turning to face Bryan.

"Hey Bry, wanna hear about sugar high Tala?" Bryan spun around so quickly he almost fell off the couch. Kira snickered as Tala glared at her while Kai smirked, but said nothing at all. Bryan raised an eyebrow at Tala, who looked away. Kira noted the flicker of sadness was gone from his eyes. Judging from the quick glance Kai gave her, he noted it as well. Both were about to turn away when Bryan stopped them.

"Well?"

"We were just teasin' Tal," Kira grinned before starting a conversation with a rather startled Brooklyn. He started to relax when she asked about his blade and how he'd been doing.

_"What's with her?"_ Bryan turned toward Tala and Kai.

_"Who knows?_ Tala replied and just looked out the window. Kira had kept her mouth shut and he was returning the favor...just this once. Kai gave Bryan a small shrug of his shoulders before standing by Hilary. Both still had yet to open their presents.

0x0x0x0

"So how have you been," Brooklyn inquired after he had answered the barrage of questions. Kira cautiously glanced behind her to where the other Russians sat. When she concluded they were all occupied, she slid her eyes back forward.

"Bored to tell the truth. Kai and Tala won't let me out of their sights for more than fifteen minutes at a time. If I'm not being watched by one, it's the other...unless I'm in the bathroom, getting changed or in the shower," she replied flatly.

-x-x-x-x-

Alright, if you aren't Tyson or Daichi, you may have noticed the dropped hints between Zeo and Kenny. I haven't decided whether I want to pair them together, or whatever I'm gonna end up doing, sooooo...

...I need a poll here, people.

1- Zeo x Kenny and Daichi x Tyson

2- Tyson x Zeo and Daichi x Kenny

3- Daichi x Zeo and Tyson x Kenny  
4- NO THEY'RE JUST FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!

I already have a vote for number 1. Me! XD  
Just to let you know, there will be no kissing between these two pairings, or anything. Just a lot of blushing, confusion and maybe a confession or two. ::wink wink::

Immi's note: Yaoi, even...ah, what the heck! PICK NUMBER 1, NUMBER 1 MILORD::holds up three fingers::

...I didn't know dragons had fingers...ahem, anyway.

Tala isn't in on this because who I'm planning on pairing him with...hm, you'll just have to find out who THAT is...

(1)- you know how you sometimes palm your forehead in frustration, etc? Well, she took it to the extreme...XP

(2)- Kai had chosen that moment to shut up.

Hope you all enjoyed!!!  
Emma


	5. Drama: Run, it bites!

Welcome to BC, Chapter Five everybody!!!

Okay, so it's not off hiatus. Seriously, it's not.

My goal must be accomplished and this is the first one I decided to update. I shall try to stick to my previously planned story line, but it might not work so well.

Either way, I'M FINALLY UPDATING!

Enjoy.

Sorry for the not-updating thing!

Info-ish things:  
"Talking"  
'Thinking'  
/Bitbeast speaking/  
_"Speaking in Russian"_  
**"Speaking in Chinese"**  
Scene split: 0x0x0x0  
Beginning/End: -x-x-x-x-

Kira and Brookie get to start off.

-x-x-x-x-

Chapter Five A:  
Gotta Hate Drama

"Wow...seriously?"

"It's like having a pair of very touchy, very cautious body guards who are trigger happy," Kira shook her head. "I'm starting to get used to it, but it's still annoying."

"You shouldn't have to," he mumbled.

"Well, once a bit more time passes and they find out I haven't spontaneously combusted, maybe they'll lay off...and if they don't, I'll get Dranzer and Wolborg to intervene."

"Wow...you're going to ask them to get them to cut it out?"

"Nope. They'll probably intervene on their own," Kira sweatdropped when she remembered their last "intervention". It involved a whip cream covered Kai and a jolly rancher goop covered Tala.

"What?" Brooklyn looked mollified.

"Lemme put it this way...the last time they intervened, Tala ended up with molten jolly ranchers for hair gel and Kai spent weeks getting all the whip cream out of his hair."

"What the heck," Brooklyn's eyes were very wide.

"They're...inventive. Let's leave it at that," she returned, sweatdropping.

/Indeed we are/ Both were grinning wolfishly, phoenix or no. Brooklyn just stared as their semi-transparent forms vanished into the woodwork.

"You get used to that, too," Kira mumbled with a sigh. "So how've you been?"

0x0x0x0

Kai and Hillary both looked at the presents they now held in their hands, to the other and then back to their present, as though asking permission to open it. Without a word, both tore the wrapping paper off to find hand-drawn posters of their respective bitbeast. Both froze and stared at the posters, noting absently that the other's signature was in the lower right corner.

0x0x0x0

Max blinked, "ironic." Mariam raised an eyebrow as both forgot the awkwardness from earlier. "Well, the reason Hil ran off before was because Kai had destroyed the poster she drew for him."

"No me digas!" Mariam burst out. (1)

"Nani?" Max's face contorted with confusion. (2)

"Never mind..." Mariam mumbled.

"Did I say something wrong?" The blue eyed boy bit his lip, eyes worried; he did not want his new-found peace with Mariam to be disturbed.

"No," Mariam sighed. "I'm just sick of school and that's a blatant reminder of it..."

"Oh," he looked down. Mariam eyed the ground as well but her eyes lit up with an idea well conceived.

"Help me with this?" The blonde blader looked up to find Mariam trying to put the necklace he gave her on; he gave her a shy smile and complied. Her returning grin was just as shy; he took that as a good sign.

0x0x0x0

_"Have you been alright?"_ The lilac haired teen questioned abruptly, noting that something looked different. Startled, Tala jumped before facing Bryan. _"Have you been alright?"_

_"Yeah, I've been fine."_ The startled and off-balance red head was currently trying to figure out what could have prompted such a remark._ "You?"_

_"I've been better,"_ Bryan muttered; Tala's purple eyes connected with his lilac ones almost instantly. 'Why the hell is he so on edge?' (3)

_"What happened?"_

_"I'm not back in Russia,"_ the taller boy retorted flatly; his conversation partner flinched as though struck. _"Jeez, what is wrong with you?"_

_"Nothing...I'm going to bed."_ With that, the redhead fled the room, leaving one of the people sure that he knew him wondering if he ever had at all.

0x0x0x0

"Man, this is boring," Tyson whined in annoyance as he watched everyone else appear to be having an awesome time. He had thought that until Tala had stormed off; he had watched the red haired teen's exit, wondering what prompted it.

"Hey, Tyson," Daichi broke in.

"Aa?" The bluette turned his full attention to the younger blader; it wasn't like he had anything better to do.

"Why don't we just go to bed?"

"Wha-what?!" He stared at the other blader.

"Fine, I'll go to sleep," Daichi grumbled. Not sure why he was being so touchy, he became the second person to leave the room in a huff. The bluette stared after him, realizing then that Daichi had noticed his boredom and was trying to help him get rid of it. Mentally smacking himself, Tyson went to bed as well.

'Fuck manners,' he growled mentally as he slid under his covers and drifted off.

0x0x0x0

Both Rei and Mariah were curled up on a cushion; their limbs were partially intertwined as they cuddled together sleepily. They knew they ought to go to bed, but they were so warm and comfortable that they didn't want to move. Mariah started when Tala practically ran past; Rei nearly fell off the couch along with her.

"You alright?" He made sure neither was going to contact the floor.

"Yeah," Mariah mumbled. "Seeing as it's no longer safe, I'm gonna go to bed." Their peace was shattered, so she figured she should go to bed now before she had to invent a reason.

"Night," Rei murmured, giving her a kiss on her forehead kiddingly. Mariah blushed and squirmed as he did so, glaring. He grinned down, glad he had the advantage of being taller while sitting and standing. She remedied the advantage by taking him off guard; a smirking Mariah ran to her room as Rei blushed and fingered the kissed area of his cheek. A soft sigh escaped the boy and he decided to go to bed as well; there was no point in being up without Mariah.

0x0x0x0

Zeo and Kenny, being both smart **and** sane, were already in their rooms and sound asleep. Once they had exchanged gifts, opened them and thanked the other, they decided not to stick around and watch any messes unfold. The down side to avoiding the drama was that they could get caught in the crossfire come morning, but they hadn't thought of that.

0x0x0x0

After they helped each other put their necklaces on, they said goodnight and went to their rooms, wanting to end the night on a good note. Maybe others should have thought to do the same...

0x0x0x0

"I'm going to go to bed," Hillary mumbled at last before she hurried from the room. She told him she had forgiven him and she had but still...this poster brought back a memory she would rather forget.

0x0x0x0

"Damn," Kai mumbled as he watched her run; he knew it would be better to let her calm down than to try and console her. He had been told, numerous times, that he sucked when it came to consoling people and he knew they (Kira, Tala, Ian, Spencer, Bryan, Rei and even Tyson) were right. Bothered, he headed to his room, completely forgetting that Kira was now in the main room with only Bryan as a chaperone. (4)

0x0x0x0

"I've been pretty good, actually," he replied. "I'm just glad to be back in Japan." His smile was slight but there.

"Why?"

"Everyone kept saying I was insane in America," he muttered, shifting uncomfortably.

"Everyone is insane," Kira stated. "They point out others' insanity to make theirs seem lesser or nonexistent."

"And how did you come to that conclusion?" Brooklyn questioned; she completely missed the darker undertones in his voice.

"Well, everyone has their own little quirks. Quirks can be classified as insanity," the blonde finished, shrugging; her eyes nearly popped out when she realized Brooklyn had left the room. Where he sat was a small, destroyed glass teddy bear. When she fitted a few of the pieces together, she found the words "Be Mine?" had been inscribed across them. Biting her lip, Kira ignored the tears, telling herself that they were because she had cut her fingers.

"Kira?" Bryan started; she hurriedly dragged her sleeve across her eyes to wipe away her tears. "What--"

"Nothing. Nothing happened," the blonde stood hurriedly and fled to her room, wishing that she had never come out.

0x0x0x0

Bryan stood, about to turn in himself, when he saw the pieces of the bear on the couch; intrigued, he approached and saw what was spelled out. Frowning, he carefully swept the pieces into a container and went to an empty room. He knew Kira could take care of herself, which was why Kai wasn't going to hear about that...for that matter, neither was Tala, provided the redhead would even talk to him. Still confused about what he had done, he turned over on his side and tried to get to sleep. He growled a curse in Russian after about half an hour and rolled onto his other side; he blamed the moonlight shining in his eyes as his deterrent from sleeping. The lilac haired blader knew he was lying to himself but he preferred lying to himself than admitting what was really keeping him up.

'It'll go away,' he told himself firmly before rolling onto his stomach.

-x-x-x-x-

(1): No me digas! No way. (Spanish II...so much fun. NOT!)

(2): Nani? What? (You learn a lot from reading YYH fanfics. Such as how to say "fuck", "hell", "bastard" and every other curse word in Japanese. Now learning THAT was fun...unlike Spanish.)

(3): all my sources say his eyes are lilac. If anyone can tell me differently, or supply me with a picture that would sufficiently demonstrate that his eyes are NOT lilac, please PM me.

(4): It should be noted that Bryan, if sufficiently distracted by his thoughts, royally sucks as a chaperone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, yeah, I'm making the chapter split in half. It seemed like a good idea. ::shrug:: at this rate, I might update this one more. Either way, don't get your hopes up.

-x-x-x-x-

Chapter Five B:

Drama (OO; RUN, IT BITES!)

The kitchen was silent, the atmosphere was sullen and several people kept shifting uncomfortably. Mariah, Rei, Max, Mariam, Kenny and Zeo were extremely uncomfortable and decided not to fidget but they would automatically start as soon as their minds wandered off. When they caught themselves, they would stop but then their minds would wander off and the cycle would begin again. Bryan leaned against the wall by the doorway, not keen on getting any closer to Tala than he was already; he knew that things had a knack for becoming projectiles when the redhead was upset. Kai sat by Max and was staring at a part of the wall blankly. Tala was next to him, also staring at that part of the wall. Brooklyn had chosen the seat next to Zeo and was eyeing the ground. Kira, Hillary, Daichi and Tyson had yet to enter the kitchen.

It was this way that Kira found everyone when she finally decided to enter. Deciding she was in no mood to deal with this and was going back to bed, she was surprised to find herself stopped by Bryan, who wordlessly held out what was, to all appearances, a present. Everyone was now staring at the little cloth bag tied shut by a knot made in its top; Kira undid it and peered inside. Kai and Tala exchanged glances when her face closed off; she retied to knot.

"Spasibo," she bit out before turning and leaving the room, mentally yelling every curse word in every language she knew.

"What was that?" Kai stood as Hilary entered the room; his attention was focused on Bryan.

"Nothing that concerns you or me. It was merely something I felt she would like returned to her," with that, the lilac haired teen vanished into the doorway; he had seen Tala tense and knew he was a rather easy target. Frowning, the (only) sane Russian headed towards the sound of paper ripping. 'I bet she's ripping her diary apart...' He thought with a mental sigh as he entered without knocking to find what he had suspected.

0x0x0x0

"Tala?" Kai raised an eyebrow.

"Don't know," he replied icily, glaring after Bryan, who was long gone. The six sane and extremely uncomfortable people left the kitchen as Tyson followed Daichi in. The group of remaining people sat and glared/stared at one another. Daichi glared at Tyson; Tyson wondered why he was mad. Hilary avoided Kai's gaze; he avoided hers. Tala glared at the doorway where Bryan had been; Brooklyn continued to glue his eyes to the floor.

"C'mon," Tyson finally growled; he stood, grabbed Daichi by the wrist and dragged him off. Kai and Hilary's gazes connected as the two left; they instantly looked away again. The awkwardness was overwhelming for them.

"I still forgive you," she mumbled quietly. "But..."

"But?" He echoed.

"But that poster still reminded me of that whole mess..." Hilary finished, just as softly; Kai nodded but said nothing. "I'm sorry for freaking out." The startled teen nodded but still was silent. Tala and Brooklyn were interacting now; that is, they were if you counted Tala glaring at him as an interaction. All four jumped when they heard footsteps crunching the snow outside the window; they spun around to see Kira take a swing at Bryan, who dodged it effortlessly. Another dodge caused Kira to fall into the snow; Bryan grabbed her by the arm and hauled her to her feet. She then tried to punch him again.

"Shit," Kai muttered before racing towards the door; he was instantly followed by the kitchen's other three occupants. The group was outside and around part of the dojo when a particularly loud "THUMP" sounded; two shouts were heard and that spurred the four on. They entered the front part of the courtyard to find Bryan standing behind a moving pile of snow; another loud thump seemed to echo, yet not as more flakes rained down from the sky. Bryan stared at the now-immobile pile of snow as the four approached.

"Where's--" Hilary began but was cut off by Kira popping out of the snow bank.

"I hate trees, I royally f-cking hate trees," she growled as she attempted to extract herself from the mountain of snow; Bryan looked at her hands as she managed to escape.

"You're bleeding," Hillary pointed at a cut on the middle of the girl's forehead; she only mumbled more curses as she put a hand up to stem the blood flow.

"You didn't bandage your cuts from yesterday either," commented the tallest one there; all it got him was an icy glare. He wordlessly walked over to Kira, picked her up with one arm, threw her over his shoulder and marched inside, bending down so the shouting girl on his shoulder wouldn't hit her head on the door frame. When they followed the two inside, they entered to find a sullen Kira with a bandaged forehead/hands and a calm Bryan giving her stare for glare.

"What's going on?" Bryan questioned as everyone sat down.

"What d'you mean, exactly?" Kira returned coolly.

"I don't think I need to list what's going on with you; I know about that. What I wanna know is what's with Tala, Kai and Hilary."

"I'm better now," Hillary gave Kai a small, reassuring grin; he nodded but all could tell he was relieved.

"Nothing," Tala growled and was about to run off again when Kira promptly tackled him to the floor, ignoring the stabbing pain in her hands as her target squirmed. The impromptu wrestling match ended as it usually did when Kira tackled Tala: she was sitting on top of his back and he was stuck.

"I can't really do anything about my cuts, but I can do something about you, Sir Sulks-A-Lot," she informed him, crossing her arms.

"You can't do jack for me," he growled as he tried to dislodge her.

"Not happening," Kira calmly put most of her weight on his upper body; he stopped trying to squirm away. "I've gotten a bit better at wrestling; you can blame--"

"Don't you even THINK that name!" Kai and Bryan growled in unison as she and Tala stared at them.

"Jeez, talk about touchy," she grumbled; he nodded boredly.

"I'm not telling," he stated.

"And I'm not moving 'til you tell," the blonde stretched and prepared herself for a long wait.

"Why don't you want to know what's wrong with Brooklyn?" Hilary voiced, leaving the two on the floor to their own devices. Kai and Brooklyn both looked at Bryan.

"I can just ask Kira but I--"

"Already guessed and your guesses are never wrong," Tala and Kira chorused boredly in unison. "So, where'd you hide the eggnog?"

"Like I'm that stupid," a roll of her eyes accentuated her answer.

"It's not like I'll drink it all."

"I don't drink, so I could care less from that aspect...unless you'd--"

"Shut it." He commanded; she complied as she snickered quietly.

"How did you cut your hands?" Hilary finally broke the uncomfortable silence.

"I did and that's all there is to it," the other girl muttered flatly, elbowing Tala in the back of the ribs when he snorted.

"What was that for!?"

"Being an idiot."

"Idiot!? You're--"

"Children, grow up," Bryan broke in; Tala instantly shut up.

"Did you...curse him or something?" Kira warily prodded.

"No," he growled flatly.

"I meant the OTHER kind of curse...jeez."

"That either," the lilac haired teen affirmed.

"What cut your hands," Kai interjected.

"Something sharp," Kira evaded before hopping off Tala. "If you guys are gonna interrogate me, I'm offski. I have stuff--"

"To the tree?" Tala cut her off; he got a raised eyebrow in his direction before a swift nod. Both were gone before anyone could say anything.

"Those two," Bryan shook his head before going off towards the kitchen.

0x0x0x0

Hillary led the way to an unused main room; Kai followed. Both just wanted to relax and help their now-fragile bond repair itself fully. After half an hour, both were curled up on the sofa. Hilary's head was resting on his shoulder; Kai's arm was around her and his head was resting on top of hers. They were both peacefully asleep and blissfully unaware of the state things were in.

0x0x0x0

Brooklyn sat alone in the now-mostly-vacated room. Everyone had ignored him but today he was okay with that. He was getting what he deserved, not that they knew it; he had overstepped his boundaries by thinking of asking Kira out, let alone actually doing it. That wasn't the worst of it and the thought made him feel worse. A comment Kira had probably only made casually had touched upon a sore spot of his and turned it back into an open wound. He had broken her present with his bare hands and just left her sitting by the broken porcelain.

If she had been cut, it was his fault and he didn't want everyone to be mad at him, let alone Kira.

0x0x0x0

Their breaths came in puffs of what looked like white steam as both leaned against the tree, winded.

"Can we make this a quick visit, if possible? My throat's killing me," Kira mumbled as she sank into the snow at the tree's routes.

"Alright," Tala agreed; his tone of voice startled his companion.

"Why d'you sound like someone's forcing you to lop off your own hand?"

"Because I don't want to talk about what's bothering me...Bryan's not making you talk," he finished.

"Changing the subject won't work, one, and two, that's because he knows what happened and why I--shit," Kira muttered, barely catching herself in time.

"Why you what?" Tala sat straight upright and was looking straight at her, not the snowy landscape.

"It's nothing I can't handle," she dismissed it, "but if you're this upset by whatever's bothering you--"

"I--"

"Hi guys!" Both spun and turned to find Max and Mariam, both in heavy winter jackets and boots while they were in sweatshirts and sneakers.

"Hi," both replied dryly, partially glad for the distraction.

"Wanna come build a snowman with us?" Max grinned hopefully as Mariam brandished the carrot at Tala. Kira grabbed his collar and stopped him from taking a bite of the carrot.

"What're you, a horse?!" She scolded as they followed the other blonde and the bluette.

Tala blinked, "horses eat carrots?"

Kira merely smacked her forehead and wondered how he could go from angsty to innocent in under five minutes. Deciding it must be a weird gift of his, she shrugged it off and made him join the snowman making effort.

-x-x-x-x-

Poll Results so far:  
#1 (TysonxDaichi and KennyxZeo): Two  
#2 (TysonxZeo and KennyxDaichi): None  
#3 (DaichixZeo and KennyxTyson): None  
#4 (NO THEY'RE JUST FRIENDS): One

Polls will be open for (possibly) a chapter or two more. VOTE PEOPLE!

I'm still going to put hints between my preferred "couples" until the polls are closed and then if the ones I want aren't voted for, I'll either go ahead with it anyway or go back and change it.

Again, sorry for the really long time between updates. I think I shall leave it here and clear up the drama next chapter (or keep it going. Real life drama sucks but in stories...well, let's just say I've somehow come up with a love quadrangle for a story I'm working on). If anyone wants the "full story" on what went on between Kira and Bryan, PM me and I'll send it to you. Or post it. You guys pick.

Immi: sorry, I went on vacay.  
Arin: busy.  
Kae ::still not back from The Place::

I worked 5 to 6 hours straight on this chapter, you BETTER have liked it!  
(Hope you enjoyed anyway.)  
Emma


	6. Day 2 and Drama Fest Continued

Info-ish things:  
"Talking"  
'Thinking'  
/Bitbeast speaking/  
_"Speaking in Russian"_  
**"Speaking in Chinese"**  
Scene split: 0x0x0x0  
Beginning/End: -x-x-x-x-

Today we're starting off with someone different: Kai and Hil

-x-x-x-x-  
Chapter Six:  
Day 2 (and Drama Fest) Continued

The two woke at about 12 in the afternoon to find themselves tangled, warm and comfortable. Still partially in the hazy world of dreams, both had to shift and come face to face with the other before their minds would jumpstart. They instantly sprang apart like startled rabbits.

"S-sorry," Hilary mumbled, her face a tomato.

"Gomen," Kai muttered at the same time, a light pink flush dusting his cheeks. The ruby eyed girl looked up to see him while the flush was still on her face, and looked down, smiling. "What?"

Her blush increased, "you look cute when you're blushing." A smirk darted across her companion's face.

"I could say the same about you," was the reply; she looked up to find his face inches from hers.

'Is he going to kiss me...?' Her dazed mind wondered; then she felt his lips gently cover hers as his arms wrapped themselves around her. She slipped her arms around his neck before letting him have control of the kiss. 'Just this once,' Hilary decided as he deepened it. 'Next time, **I** get to kiss **him**!'

0x0x0x0

Tala and Kira stood. And stared. And changed position. And stood. And stared. Again.

Their snowman had somehow come to look like a mix between Brooklyn and someone Kira was still trying to recognize; Tala was tense beside her, meaning that he didn't want her to know who it looked like. If she titled her head to the right and squinted, she could have sworn their snowman looked like the missing link. The thought made her throat catch and she was laughing before she could stop herself.

"What's so funny?" Max and Mariam turned from their own snowman.

"It--" Kira broke off, laughing too hard to speak.

"It's not funny!" Tala growled; Kira managed to breathe.

"If you tilt your head to the left and squint, it could be the missing link!" She managed out before she cracked up again. All three did so, though Tala was planning on storming off; they all stared at it when they realized she could have been right. Max and Mariam went back to their snowman, grinning; Tala was mollified and turned to Kira, who let out a sigh as her face started to hurt. "I think I laughed a bit too hard." She told him, wiping the tears from her nearly numb cheeks.

"So you don't see who the other half of the snowman is?" He held his breath.

"Nope. They look familiar, but I can't place them," a sheepish grin was all he got; he sweatdropped. "Hey, guys, wanna go in and make some cocoa?"

"Yeah!" Max cried, racing into the house; Mariam, who looked like she was having an awesome time, followed him.

"You seem to be in a better mood," Tala commented as they followed at a slower pace.

"Well...I've decided that I can't really do anything about what's bothering me at the moment, so I might as well let it go and have some fun!" Kira grinned; her correspondent nodded. "You should try it." Kira playfully buffeted Tala on the shoulder before hurrying to catch up with Max and Mariam. The redhead stopped for a moment, then sighed and ran to catch up to the running Kira. He decided he might as well let it go for now too.

0x0x0x0

"What?" Daichi growled, roughly shaking Tyson off once they entered an empty room.

"Look, I just wanted to say..." Tyson trailed off, fiddling with his hat; Daichi gave him a flat look. "I just wanted to apologize...I didn't mean to go off on you last night...I guess I've been letting my imagination get the best of me lately..."

"I'm sorry too," Daichi mumbled. "I have no idea why I was being all snippy."

"Truce?" Tyson extended a hand; Daichi shook it.

"Breakfast!" Both yelled in unison before charging off to the kitchen. (1)

0x0x0x0

Kira, Tala, Max and Mariam hurriedly darted into the room Brooklyn was occupying; they had just walked in on Hilary and Kai's make-out session and had no desire for Kai to kill them. Painfully. When there were no sudden, loud sounds, the four figured they were safe and relaxed, sitting down with their cocoa and blankets.

"Hey Brooklyn," Max greeted before he blew on his steaming cocoa.

"Mmm," Mariam murmured appreciatively after a few sips. Kira waved, as she was in the process of chasing marshmallows around the top of her cup; Tala blatantly ignored him as he pursued marshmallows of his own. Max stopped once he realized Brooklyn hadn't replied.

"Brooklyn?" He questioned; the other three looked up from their activities. Kira placed her mug down, distangled herself from her blanket and stood in front of him, hands on her hips.

"Oh Ra," Tala muttered, placing his own chocolate down and pulling the blanket over his head. ()

"Tala?" Max poked the newly-formed blanket blob; said blanket blob swatted his hand.

"She's gone all pissy. You'll hide too if you know what's good for you," came the muffled Russian's verdict. Exchanging glances, Max and Mariam took their cocoa and headed for the main area.

0x0x0x0

They entered to find Mariah, Rei, Daichi, Tyson, Zeo and Kenny relaxing. Daichi, Tyson and Zeo were playing videogames; Kenny was watching; Rei was reading a manga; Mariah was reading a manga of her own. The last two were cuddled up together so tightly it was almost impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.

"Comfortable?" Mariam questioned as she and Max took over the loveseat; both blushed and buried their faces in their manga. "I was kidding, but okay, go ahead and get all flustered."

"Mariam..." There was a hint of reproach in Max's tone; Mariam gave him a wicked grin. "Why aren't you two in the kitchen anyway?"

"We got shooed out," Daichi and Tyson grumbled in unison. (2)

"By who?" Mariam interjected.

"Bryan," both growled.

"What about him?" Tala inquired as he entered with his cocoa and blanket.

Kenny gaped, "why are you here?!"

"Because I wanted to escape Kira's ultimate wrath..." He mumbled as Bryan entered. "And now I shall escape...again." Tala, his hot chocolate and blanket vanished around a corner as everyone stared.

"Do I even want to know?" The lilac haired teen hesitantly wondered aloud.

"No," everyone replied in unison.

0x0x0x0

"Hey," Kira poked his shoulder; she had been standing there for ten minutes and he hadn't even reacted. "Hello?" She poked his shoulder harder.

"...nani?" Brooklyn finally looked up, his face blank.

"What's up with you?" She frowned.

"Nothing," he mumbled, looking down again.

"What happened last night? Did I offend you or something?" Without realizing it, Kira began to bite her lip, drawing blood.

"Sanity...is not my favorite subject..." The redhead murmured at last.

0x0x0x0

Both lay on the couch, cuddled together with a blanket draped over them. It was cold inside, even with the heat on. Hilary's head was resting on his shoulder; his was resting on top of hers. She looked up at him, her eyes dancing with mischief; he raised an eyebrow and was about to question it when her lips gently claimed his. Startled, Kai let her have control of the kiss; his thanks was her kiss morphing into an "evil" smirk.

0x0x0x0

Tala sighed and took a seat on his bed, deciding it was time to figure out just what WAS his problem; he knew it wouldn't be long before Bryan, Kira or even Kai confronted him.

'Okay...hm...' He began to mentally list what happened whenever Bryan showed up. 'I want to run but stay at the same time, my heart goes doki doki, I can't meet his eyes or I blush...' (3) Muttering a curse in Russian, Tala lay back on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. 'Am I supposed to know why I feel this way? Or why I keep reacting like this?' Frustrated after coming up with no answer, Tala rolled on his side and stared moodily at the wall. 'If the beydish wasn't covered in snow, I'd go ask Kira for a match...' (4)

0x0x0x0

"So, what're you reading?" Mariam placed her empty cocoa mug down on the coffee table.

"Fruits Basket. I can't get enough of the whole Kyo-Tohru-Yuki love triangle!" Mariah grinned.

"How come?" A conversation about the addictiveness of Fruits Basket ensued. A puzzled blonde and his friend watched their significant others debate before deciding to start a debate of their own about Trigun.

"I think Vash is cooler," Max stated confidently.

"I have to disagree. Knives, despite being blinded by hatred, is cooler." Their bickering began, and then the four started a huge debate. Mariah and Max were in favor of Vash being the coolest, and the thought of Kyo and Tohru belonging together. Mariam and Rei thought Knives was the coolest and that Yuki and Tohru ought to end up together. Tyson, Daichi, Zeo and Kenny were watching the entire exchange while munching on popcorn. Bryan, who had listened for a minute and a half before getting bored, had stuck his earbuds in, turned his music up to full volume and picked up a good Russian book. After a half an hour of arguments/debates, Tyson and Daichi lost interest and switched to playing video games. Kenny and Zeo were talking to Dizzy and comparing certain beybattles with what they had seen and what data had been recorded.

0x0x0x0

Bryan, however, had given up on drowning out the combination of the video games, Tyson, Daichi, the debators, Dizzy, Kenny, and Zeo. He was currently in the room he had chosen to stay in, listening to his music at a softer volume and attempting to focus on the book in his hand. Needless to say, it wasn't going very well. With a growl of frustration, he snapped the book closed and left the room.

0x0x0x0

Tala was too wound up to do anything but annoy Kira, which never required concentration, but he rather liked the ability to breathe. A frown twisted his mouth as his eyebrows furrowed.

'At least I won't have to keep an eye on Kai...' He surmised gloomily as he stared at the ceiling. 'He can't kill me for something I didn't do...he'll probably blame me anyway.' The partially amused Russian snorted. 'If I don't want to prank the two, I don't have to.' Smothering the urge to make noise simply for the sake of making it, he rolled over and off the bed. His overtaxed mind could only come up with one thing to do, and he did it.

0x0x0x0

Bryan was eyeing the walls as he meandered past them and paid no mind to the wet thing he collided with. His movements ceased.

'Wet...thing?' The abnormally tall boy looked down and stared. A sopping Tala (who had evidently just left the shower) was pretty much sprawled across his chest. Said redhead's hair was down and--the other Russian swallowed. He grabbed Tala's moist shoulders, trying not to follow the drops of water sliding down the pale skin under his fingers, and steadied the boy on his feet. Once he was sure the other boy wouldn't tip over, he released him and fled--yes, fled--to his room. When the shaken boy sank down on his bed, he realized he needed to take a shower too. A cold one, preferrably.

-x-x-x-x-

(1)- If I were Bryan, I'd be running by now. He's in the kitchen...or was, anyway XD

()- I have written one too many Yugioh fanfics (that are never posted). They're the reason I have a lot of my characters saying "for the love of ra" or "oh my ra", etc.

(2)- If this story actually WAS a crack fic, I'd insert Bryan's evil laugh there...but it's not.

(3)- doki doki is like saying your heart beats fast...or about that, anyway...

(4)- Meet Tala's de-stress-or.

Bwahahahaha...fluff.

Fluff itself isn't funny, but if you're sitting here listening to one of the most depressing songs EVER and you write the fluffiest scene you've written in a while, it's funny. Very funny. Evanescence, anyone?

Poll:

#1: (TysonDaichi, KennyZeo) Two  
#2: (TysonZeo, KennyDaichi) Zero  
#3: (TysonKenny, ZeoDaichi) Zero  
#4: (Nope, just friends) One

Keep voting, people!!!  
(Hope you enjoyed. Yeah. I need a new phrase to put down here.)  
Emma


	7. Day 2: Drama Fest was Supposed to END

Info-ish things:  
"Talking"  
'Thinking'  
/Bitbeast speaking/  
_"Speaking in Russian"_  
**"Speaking in Chinese"**  
Scene split: 0x0x0x0  
Beginning/End: -x-x-x-x-

Note: This is THE longest chapter I have EVER written. Seriously. BEWARE. It's about 11 pages (including notes XP).

Today, we're starting off with poor, off-kilter Tala. Poor, poor short Russian redhead.

-x-x-x-x-  
Chapter Seven:  
Day 2, Drama Fest Was Supposed to END and Night of Horrors

Tala fled into his own room and only then did he allow his emotions to take over. He forced his shaky hands to pull his clothes on and knew without looking in a mirror that his face had turned a shade of red identical to his hair. Once he was dressed again, he sank down to the floor and waited for the adrenaline to leave his system. There was no other way to avoid it; he needed to talk to Kira about this...whatever this was. Shoving his irritating thoughts from his mind, the annoyed blader started to polish his scuffed blade. It was a special brand of polish from the Abbey that would fill in scratches and allow the equipment to last longer without real repairs. The thought of its creator turned his almost up lifted mood sour again.

0x0x0x0

Zeo sighed quietly as he watched an enthused Kenny playing tetris against Dizzy. He enjoyed computer games as much as the next person, and getting to talk to a bitbeast lodged in a computer was almost unheard of, but sometimes all a guy wants is a simple, down-to-earth conversation.

'Is it too much to ask for?' The green-blue haired boy wondered mentally. A moment later, a new tetris game was started. Another sigh escaped him. 'Guess so.'

0x0x0x0

Bryan decided that he liked cold showers. Yes, he liked them quite a lot, never mind how messy they tended to be in the Abbey. He was no longer there and didn't have to deal with a bunch of pipsqueaks running around underfoot, screeching about the cold. Even as the icy water poured over his body and soothed him, he remembered what had happened the one time he stayed in the shower too long at the Abbey. Frowning at the thought, he turned off the shower and climbed out gingerly, making sure his muscles were responding properly before he really tried to move. The last thing he needed right now was Tala coming in while he was naked and having to haul him out of the tub. When he recalled how Tala had frozen under his touch, though, he paused to wonder who would be more embarrassed. As he watched the last of the water drain away, he decided that he never wanted to find out. A small sigh was all he allowed himself before he grabbed a towel.

0x0x0x0

The anti-social couple decided to break up their makeout session and joined the insanity in the main room. Kai sat down in a chair in the corner of the room and observed silently the chaos around him. Hillary, however, sat by Zeo to keep him company when she noticed that he was miserable. What she didn't notice was an angry pair of purple-grey eyes boring holes in her new conversation partner.

0x0x0x0

Mariam, Max, Rei, Mariah, Tyson and Daichi were cautiously observing Kai, Zeo, Kenny and Hillary, wondering if it would be safe to attempt to intervene.

"Who thinks Kai's overpossessive?" Mariam muttered. Everyone in their circle raised their hand. "What, are we in school?"

"No," Mariah squeaked.

"I like vacation," Max added, which was accompanied by vigorous nods from Tyson and Daichi.

"Who doesn't?" Rei questioned.

"Kai," Mariah and Mariam replied in unison, and burst out laughing. The rest of the circle joined in, which earned them the attention of the other four in the room. Said angry Russian stood and left the room, his scarf vanishing around the corner as everyone stared.

Kenny blinked. "What's with him?"

"Who knows?" Tyson grumbled.

"Probably Tala," Rei commented; everyone stared. "What? He always does."

"Then why don't we go ask him?" Mariah suggested.

"Because he's not a people person," Bryan, clad in only a towel around his waist, walked past and into the kitchen. That left two fuming boys and three wide-eyed/drooling girls in the room.

The three girls grinned at each other, and went to a room to discuss said towel-clad Russian, which left four fun-loving teens with two homicidal ones.

0x0x0x0

Tyson, Daichi, Kenny and Zeo decided that they miiiight want to find another sanctuary and left for the back room. It had a t.v., they could bring their videogames or labtop and it was less...dangerous.

"I'm glad none of us are busy with that whole "I like you but you don't like me...do you?" thing," Zeo mumbled, leaning back against the furniture.

"Yeah," Daichi was furiously pounding buttons on the controller. "MAN! I lost!"

"All bow to the champ!" Tyson yelled kiddingly, which started a mock-argument between him and Daichi. Kenny was still talking to Dizzy and oblivious to it all. When the argument had cooled down, Zeo jumped. A game controller had been tossed at him.

Daichi grinned. "Wanna play?"

"Sure." Feeling cheered, Zeo moved up to join the two and a Super Smash Brothers Melee marathon began.

0x0x0x0

"Isn't Bryan...wow," Mariah murmured.

Hilary rolled her eyes. "Like you haven't seen Rei in just a towel."

"I have, but...still. Wow."

Mariam stared. "Why have you seen Rei in only a towel?"

"Uhm...Hil! No one was supposed to know!" The pinkette pouted.

"Not my fault you agreed." An evil grin danced across the brown haired girl's face; the pink haired girl deflated.

"Okay, okay..." She sighed. "Well, we were in one of the hotels after a beybattle and...uhm...I was coming back from the kitchens after a talk with some of the girls, and...uh...I kinda walked into the bathroom without knocking. I hadn't realized it was an adjoining one..." The neko-jin trailed off, biting her lip.

"You walked in on Rei with a towel on?!" The blue haired girl seemed to be picturing Max in a towel.

"...that's kinda weird," Hilary mumbled.

Mariam snapped out of it. "What's weird?"

"You were definitely just picturing Max in a towel..."

"Soaking wet..."

"Water droplets racing down his chest..." All three stared dreamily off into space, picturing their guy as such. The three stopped and shook their heads.

Hilary summed it up in one sentence. "We need mental help."

0x0x0x0

Silence reigned after that little proclamation, as Kira had no idea what to say. What did one say when the person they were talking to said that sanity wasn't their favorite subject?

"Sorry...about the..." Brooklyn trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

"The bear?" She questioned; he nodded in affirmation. The blonde shrugged. "It's okay."

"...are your hands okay?" His cautious green eyes met her purple-grey ones.

Said blonde grinned. "Yep. Bryan has this special numbing salve he always carries around, and he put it on my cuts. They weren't too bad to begin with, actually..."

"What happened to your head?" The redhead frowned.

"Huh? Oh, this?" Her hand absently touched the white bandages. "That's from when I walked into a tree..." He stared. "Well, in my defense, I was under a pile of snow."

"Oh." Brooklyn began to bite his lip now.

"What's--"

"Kira," stated a cold voice. At the sound of it, he paled slightly. The girl turned to find Kai leaning against the doorway, his icy glare focused on her and her companion. "Weren't you with Tala?"

"No, I was hanging out with him," the blonde returned the glare, catching the wording only a second before she replied. "What d'you want?"

"You to come back to the main room."

"I'm hanging out with Brooklyn right now," she replied flatly.

"I'd rather you hung out with Tala." There was a steely edge to Kai's tone.

"And I'd rather NOT, Kai. Just because something's bothering you doesn't mean you have to wreck my fun!" Kira's eyes flashed as she stared him down; his eyes widened. "I know you better than you think and if you need to talk, fine. Ask. If you're not gonna be civil, then go kill someone else's fun."

He wordlessly turned and left.

"Kira..."

"He can be pissed if he wants..." She muttered. "Doesn't mean he gets to take it out on you."

0x0x0x0

"This sucks." Rei mumbled as he sulked.

"Yeah!" Max agreed, sulking as well.

"It's worse than the time Mariah walked in on me while I was in a towel!"

"Yeah! ...wait, whaaaat?!"

0x0x0x0

Tala had just left his room in search of Kira; he figured that she would probably still be in the back room with Brooklyn. Hoping he wasn't going to walk in on a make-out session, he headed in that direction. Before he had gone far, though, he bumped into a blackly furious Kai.

"What's wrong?" The redhead asked and immediately regretted it when icy purple-grey eyes bored into him.

"Nothing." Kai bit out as he shoved Tala out of the way. "Not. One. Damn. Thing!" He stormed off, leaving a stunned Tala to slide down the wall.

0x0x0x0

By now, all three girls were bored.

"Should we rejoin the guys in the main room?" Hilary questioned.

"Maybe..." Mariah murmured.

"Nah." Mariam waved the notion aside. "We need to do something with just us girls."

"What about Kira?" Mariah grinned evilly.

"What about her?" Hilary and Mariam chorused in unison accidentally.

"Well...she promised that she'd kiss whoever she likes by the time our stay here is over." The pinkette smirked as both stared.

"And how'd you get her to agree to that?" Mariam wondered aloud.

"I wanted her to prove that she didn't like Rei." The now-sullen golden-eyed girl mumbled.

"Since all of us are already with our guy, why don't we help set her and her mystery man up?" Hilary suggested.

"Once we find out who he is." Mariam amended. All three exchanged glances before grinning evilly. Now all they had left to do was find out who it was...and concoct some sort of plan.

0x0x0x0

"Thanks...I think." Brooklyn murmured softly; she gave him a slight grin.

"Kira?" Tala stood in the doorway, shaken. The girl and the green eyed redhead exchanged glances before shifting so there was room for him beside them on the sofa. He sat with them and was covered with the blanket as well.

"What happened?" Brooklyn questioned, startled.

"Kai shoved me into a wall." Came the quiet mumble; Kira's eyes darkened.

"He **what**?"

"Maybe...he didn't mean to?" Brooklyn suggested. The two red heads conversed while Kira fumed quietly; Tala was startled when she sighed and let it go for the time being. A slight smile curled the corners of his mouth.

"...what?" She questioned; Brooklyn's glance was also questioning.

"Nothing, nothing." Tala shook his head. 'If this is a result of her being with him for just THIS amount of time...' "_Uh, Kira."_

_"Yah?"_

_"What does it mean when you freeze up around someone and your heart beats fast?"_

Kira gave the worriedly glancing back and forth Brooklyn a reassuring smile. _"It means you like them."_

"WHAT?!" The purple eyed redhead looked like he was about to faint.

The only girl in the room bit her lip to keep from laughing as Brooklyn blinked. Had he missed something?

0x0x0x0

Max frowned. "So, let me get this straight. Mariah walked in on you, soaking wet, in a towel and you BOTH were red?"

Rei nodded. "Yep...although I wasn't red at first."

The blonde blinked. "Then how come you blushed?"

The neko-jin flushed just thinking about it. "Well...she was kinda...eyeing...me..." He barely managed to choke the word out.

"Oh...so?"

0x0x0x0

"Hey guys." Tyson furiously pounded the buttons for a combo; Daichi's character was sent flying (Gannondorf)(1), almost into the area where the player was automatically killed for being knocked off the stage.

"Yeah?" Daichi's reply via the game was to snatch up the nearest beam sword, race over to Mario and then smash A; Mario (2) then flew into the automatic K.O. area and Tyson lost a life.

"Hm?" Zeo questioned politely; he had died not too long after the computer player, as he was unfamiliar with the controls and none too sure how to use Pikachu's special moves. Kenny made no reply, as he was wrapped up in his chat with Dizzy.

"Wanna get everyone together in the main room?" There was a mischievous look in the bluette's eyes.

"...why?" Zeo questioned cautiously as Daichi raised an eyebrow.

"Two...okay, five words: ghost stories and urban legends."

Daichi grinned evilly; his grin was mirrored by Tyson; Zeo looked nervous; Kenny, who had just caught the last bit, gulped.

0x0x0x0

"Okay." Rei sighed. "Imagine that you JUST got out of the shower, you think you locked the door and have aaaaall the time in the world to dry off and get dressed. Just as you're about to dry yourself, the door swings open and you find yourself face to face with your crush. Both of you stare at one another, silently, and they seemed frozen; after a few minutes, you realize that they're checking you out."

Max fell off the sofa, crimson.

Rei crossed his arms. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

0x0x0x0

Kai was now out in the frozen tundra of a yard, stomping angrily through the snow as he fumed. First Hilary starts ignoring him, then Kira basically tells him to screw off. 'What the hell?!' He growled mentally. 'Is this "everyone piss Kai off day" and I missed the memo?'

0x0x0x0

Bryan, who had currently taken over the kitchen, blinked and was startled when he noticed Kai storming around in the snow. Hadn't the short Russian told him near a thousand times that he HATED snow? Smothering a sigh, he stood, made sure his towel was secure, and marched back towards his room to get some clothes on. He decided he didn't want to know why Max was on the floor, blushing. No...he reallly didn't want to. At all.

Though the thought that perhaps Rei had made a move on the blonde presented itself to him and Bryan wondered, inspite of himself, just what had been going on...

Shaking his head to rid himself of the thought, he pulled some clothes on and headed outside after the short Russian he had been watching through the window.

"What d'you want?" Kai growled, still stomping about in the cold, wet stuff.

"I want to know why you're storming about in the snow. You've told ALL of us of your hatred of it. In fact, you've repeated it so often most of us have wanted to strangle you with that scarf of yours." Bryan retorted coolly.

"...did someone put you up to this or something?!" The frustrated teen growled.

"No. I merely wanted to know." The taller boy returned calmly.

"Too damn bad." Kai growled and stormed towards a snowbank, intent on flattening it. Bryan raised an eyebrow, but wordlessly followed. "Why the hell are you following me?"

"I told you: I want to know why you're stomping around in stuff you've professed a million times to disliking." The taller Russian rattled off. Kai silently squished the snowbank before reluctantly explaining.

"Hilary is a kind person by nature; she doesn't want to see Zeo having a bad time or being ignored, so she began to talk to him. Kira, as you already know, has a crush on him (3); add in the fact that you seem to have it out for him and her reaction is understandable." He calmly explained as Kai stared.

"So I'm being the unreasonable one?" The other Russian snapped.

Bryan gave him the "by jove, I think you've got it...moron" look before heading back inside. He wanted to chat with a certain purple eyed redhead.

0x0x0x0

"Okay, Chief, you and Zeo are in charge of finding the ghost story and urban legend books and drinks. Daichi and I are in charge of snacks, blankets and getting everyone to the room!" Tyson stated.

"Let's go!" Daichi yelled, rushing off. Tyson followed, glad his helper was enthusiastic at least.

Kenny and Zeo sighed, not entirely convinced that this was going to end well before beginning the hunt for the books and making mass amounts of hot cocoa.

0x0x0x0

"It's not funny!" Max protested.

"You fell off the furniture!" Rei grinned. "And you weren't hurt, so it was funny!"

"And what if I **had** gotten hurt?" The blonde shot back.

"Then it would've been hilarious." The black haired boy retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Ha ha." Max muttered.

"GUYS!" Daichi shouted, causing both to jump and fall off the furniture. "Go to the main area and be prepared to be SCARED!" With that, the mini redheaded monkey dashed off towards where he had last seen the girls.

"Not so funny now, huh?" The blue eyed boy muttered.

"...and aren't we already in the main area?" His companion added as Tyson skidded into the room.

"Hey, have you guys seen monkey boy?" He panted. Both wordlessly pointed in the direction he went in. "Thanks! Stay in this room!" He shouted over his shoulder before running off.

"Something tells me we're going to be pranked."

Max shook his head. "Tyson and Daichi play pranks for fun, not to scare people."

0x0x0x0

"Hey!" Daichi popped out from behind the sofa, causing Mariam, Mariah and Hilary to jump.

"Yeah?" Hilary was the first to recover.

"To the main area, and step on it!" He commanded. "And be afraid!"

The three stared as he ran off, wondering what was going on. Tyson entered moments later, gave a quick explanation and dove off after Daichi again. The three sighed.

"Well, it won't be too bad..." Mariah grinned. "They'll probably tell ghost stories and we can pretend to be scared..."

"And cuddle up with our crush!" Hilary finished, grinning.

Mariam sighed and led the way, mumbling, "fine."

"Like you don't wanna snuggle up with your cute, creampuffy (4) Maxie." Mariah muttered.

"Shut up!"

Both girls smirked, as they saw the telltale blush on the bluette's face before she stormed out of sight. Shaking their heads, they followed.

"And who said you can call him Maxie?!"

0x0x0x0

Tala was now spluttering incoherently while a confused and slightly worried Brooklyn observed; Kira was smothering a smile, as well as laughter.

"You...no...I...just no!" He burst out.

"...he likes you?" Brooklyn assessed.

"Eh, not so much." Kira replied, sweatdropping. "It's more of a 'I just scared the bejeezus outta him and he can't think properly' type thing."

"How did you scare Tala?" Questioned Bryan, who entered through a side door and was brushing snow off him. Said redhead's spluttering stopped and he eyed the floor silently. Bryan raised an eyebrow. "Tala, what's--"

Daichi barreled in. "TO THE MAIN ROOM!" He said this while doing a super-heroic pose before dashing off again.

"...okay then." Kira muttered as Tyson entered and tiredly explained before, once again, chasing after Daichi.

"...shall we go, then?" Brooklyn suggested after a few moments of silence.

"Sure." Kira stood and shifted the blanket so it was easily carried; he did so as well.

Tala stood. "I'm not feeling well, so I think I'll go to bed." He murmured and turned to head to the room he claimed; Kira stopped him.

"You two go on ahead; I need to discuss something with Tala."

Bryan frowned, but complied; Brooklyn gave both a worried smile before following.

"Look, Kira..." Tala ran a hand through his hair. "I just...I can't..."

"And why can't you?"

0x0x0x0

Hilary and Mariah were sitting on the sofa, talking, giggling and observing everyone else. Mariam was sitting next to Max, having a pleasant chat with him while Rei listened with half an ear. Kenny and Zeo entered, carrying cocoa, various other drinks and an armful of ghost story/urban legend books. They were followed by Brooklyn and Bryan, both of whom sat on opposite ends of the loveseat.

"So..." Max began, addressing Kenny and Zeo.

"Ghost stories and urban legends." Both stated in unison before placing their burdens down on the table and sinking down beside it.

0x0x0x0

"KAI!" Daichi practically tackled the incensed teen. "You gotta come to the main area!"

"No, I don't." He growled, throwing the shorter boy off into a snowbank.

"It'd be appreciated if you did." Tyson calmly helped Daichi up. "Everyone else is meeting us there and we're telling ghost stories. It'd be a good chance for you to talk to Hilary without having to worry about eavesdroppers."

Kai stared. "How did you..."

Tyson shrugged. "I can be intuitive when it comes to relationships...I just choose not to. It saves me a lot of time and guys asking 'does this girl like me?' repeatedly."

"...does MingMing like me?" Daichi prodded; as predicted, Tyson glared and chucked a snowball at him. He was barely able to dodge, so the person who was accidentally in the line of fire got nailed. Tala glared at Tyson; his look promised much bloodshed and death a thousand, equally painful ways.

"Yikes..." Tyson mumbled, cringing.

"I was asked to drag him in." Tala stated; all knew who he meant.

"Fine." Kai growled and stormed in.

The redhead smirked. "I wasn't really, but I knew there'd be a lot of people upset if dumbass got himself sick." With that, the Russian followed his exteammate inside; the other two re-entered the dojo as well, startled but gratified by Tala's interference.

0x0x0x0

Kai found himself forced to sit with Hilary, who gave him a grin; he then felt rather idiotic for his anger.

'What Bryan said is right for Hilary...' He thought as he was given hot cocoa and a snack, then covered with a blanket and cuddled up against by Hilary. He gave her a nod of thanks for the snacks, but his gaze drifted to Kira. 'What if he's right about her too?'

The lilac haired teen in question was currently seated beside Tala. 'Why am I sharing a blanket with Tala?' Was the only thought going through his mind as Tala discussed blading styles with Kira and Brooklyn, who were sharing a blanket as well.

Mariam and Max were curled up with snacks; Rei and Mariah were right next to them; Tyson and Daichi were currently arguing over which story to read first; Zeo and Kenny were helping them.

All in all...things were going pretty well.

So far.

-x-x-x-x-

(1) - Spelling? Hehehe...well, they're playing Super Smash Brothers Melee...if anyone hasn't noticed, that game comes up in my stories a lot...mostly 'cuz I LOVE it and my brother destroyed his, so I never get to play it :glares:

(2) - uh...for some reason, I picture Tyson as liking Mario...not like-like, but thinking he's an awesome character, etc. if you check out my pathetic attempt at a story (Dream A Daydream) you'll find that he's obssessed with Mario in it for some reason...I have no idea why.

(3) - the him not being Zeo

(4) - okay, I KNOW Max is NOT a cream puff...that's Ryou-chan's job...(Ryou Bakura)...my friends and I always say "poor creampuffy Ryou"...sorry, running joke...mostly 'cuz his fave food IS cream puffs.

Note: I am unsure of whether or not redhead is one word or two...so if you see it flipflopping, that's why.  
If anyone knows, PLEASE tell me x.x

Poll:  
#1: (TysonDaichi, KennyZeo) Two  
#2: (TysonZeo, KennyDaichi) Zero  
#3: (TysonKenny, ZeoDaichi) Zero  
#4: (Nope, just friends) Two

It shall close so I may do things with the pairings soon.

IMPORTANT:  
If it ends up being #s 1, 2 or 3- I'M NOT DOING YAOI.  
I do NOT write sexually graphic stories. People, honestly, you're lucky if you get a descriptive kiss scene as far as I go. The most you get from me is about all you've gotten when it comes to HilxKai. As stated previously: the most they'll get is blushing, hand-holding and confessions. I'll be basically neglecting them, so I'll say sorry in advance to any shonen ai fans.

Also:

If you have something you'd like the gang to do (short of something that'd make this a crack fic...wait, no, I could probably manage it and NOT make it a crack fic! woot!) ...ask, request, whichever, away!

A list of ideas I have so far:  
Snowball fight (girls + Tala vs boys), ghost stories/urban legends (this chapter, lol), hide-n-seek, spin the bottle, "I Never", Spooks, fire in the fire place, cocoa blankets and cuddles ., movie marathon (horror movies, chick flicks...bwaha), snow men/women/angel making contest, races around the outer part of the dojo in socks, prank war (girls vs boys), colds/getting sick, hot springs scene (BIIIIIIIIG MAYBE), plot to get Kira and her crush together


End file.
